The Sea Queen's Pearl
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: Amphitrite faded away in the sixteenth century, leaving a pearl to be given to her reincarnation. however a few obstacles get in the way of Poseidon giving Sally the pearl centuries latter, one being the pact he had just broken.
1. Chapter 1

The seagulls were loud with their crude crawls and the seamen were louder with their even cruder calls out to her. She ignored them as she blissfully took a deep breath and smelled the bitter salty air as the wind brushed against her cheek. Although she can ignored such disgusting creatures loud noises she could not block out the mournful cries of the sea life before her, the fish, the sea plants, the merpeople and so many other mystical creatures, even the waves themselves were crying for her.

She opened her eyes and looked down at her pale white wrist. It was slowly getting paler and paler, so pale and white it was transparent. She could see the ground through her own wrist.

"Amphitrite"

She turned to see her husband. A strong, tall, tanned man who appeared to be working class and yet somehow majestic. His dark tangled black hair and beard gave people the impression of something untamed about him and his deep sea green eyes could be fiery with passion or cold with hatred. His clothes seemed unusual and yet no one looked at him because of them. That was probably due to the Mist, humans were so easily fooled. He wore breeches without the tights, sandals from back in their Ancient days and a doublet with the sleeves hacked off. He looked like he was somewhere warm instead of London.

"Poseidon" she replied warmly.

A younger man with longer black hair and clear skin, he could pass for a seventeen year old boy just about to make his way around the world , appeared beside her husband. He looked at her with a possessive loving look that she never grew tired off.

"Mother, you called?"

"Darling" she said cupping her son's face with her good hand. "I am so very proud of you and I hope you keep making me proud when I am long gone"

"Mother?"

"Amphitrite?"

Like father, like son, they both looked at her with their wide shocked almost innocent eyes. She smiled fondly at them and sighed heavily. She was a beautiful woman, oh not as beautiful as her sister in laws Hera and Persephone, but she had sleek straight dark hair and cool watery blue eyes that looked incredibly bright – star like, Poseidon had told her. She had been at court with her majesty Queen Elizabeth the first and so was dressed richly in layers of different blue silks, her hair free from its terrible hood and drifting into the wind.

"I am fading" she confessed.

"Wha....but Mother, people still believe! There are plays and poems and ballads all written in the Gods name! Look at Father, he is still strong and mighty, look at me I am still young and healthy. How can you be fading?"

"Darling, as an extension of your father you will live forever. But no one believes in Poseidon's wife anymore. I am not a famous green-eyed queen who was determined to kill Hercules nor am I a stupid naive beauty who ate a forbidden fruit. I am quite forgettable, I assure you"

"Sweetheart, you can never be forgettable that I assure you" Poseidon said with a mix of sadness, love and implied innuendo.

"All hope is not lost" she said softly stepping closer to her husband. "Hades has promised me reincarnation. We will meet again"

"But it could be centuries!" Poseidon protested grabbing hold of her. "And how can we trust Hades' word?"

She kissed him gently and sweetly before stepping back. "I trust his wife's word, who has him firmly under her thumb. And who cares about a few centuries when we lived together for thousands of years, besides think of it as freedom, be a bachelor, pick up loads of mistresses and get drunk"

She really could not help the bitterness in her voice. No matter how hard she tries she still gets a little jealous when he picks up another woman. She can never bring herself to love his bastard children but part of her cared for each and every one of them that staggered into the palace to fight by their side in dark times.

"Triton, be a good warrior and help protect your Father's seas. Also take good care of whatever sibling you have, the path of a hero has never been pleasant and they could use some guidance from a brother"

"I'll try Mother" Triton promised and she knew it was best she could get. Like her, Triton could not help but feel jealous because there was always a small chance that the next child will be more favourable in Poseidon's eyes. "I love you"

"I love you too" she said taking her necklace off. It was a single largish green-blue pearl that glittered in the sun. "When you find my reincarnation, give her this and she'll have my powers of the sea once more"

She dropped the chain and Poseidon barely caught it in time before she faded completely.

The Queen of the seas was no more.

The Greek Gods stood around in a semi-circle in sympathy as Poseidon laid there on the floor in a drunken haze. His head on Hera's lap as she stroked his hair gently. It was very easy for Gods to get drunk as Dionysus has proven regularly. However for Poseidon it was usually a rare and hilarious moment.

This time it was just plain sad.

"There, there dear" Hera cooed as she patted him.

Demeter sniffed. "We should sober him up, not pat him like a dog! Get something healthy down his throat at once!"

"My wife....my wife....." Poseidon moaned.

"I know, I know but think about it Poseidon. Amy was never a sociable women, she rarely ever joined in on the solstice, so let's find a nice immortal girl with a perky personality"

"NO!" Poseidon had immediately sobered up, his eyes burning with rage as below them a storm that had never been seen before began. "Amphitrite was my wife! No girl you choose Hera will ever replace her! No one can be as kind and yet ruthless as her! There can be many beautiful women but none of them will be a queen like her! As long as there is a chance of her coming back I shall never marry again!"

Hera took a step back yet kept a stern mask on. "Oi! Oi! You sea-bastard!" Ares yelled stepping in between his mother and uncle. His face bright red with fury and his hands clenched into fists like a child on a tantrum. "Quit the storm now! You're ruining the Armada I made for Phillip! My son the Spanish king had promised me a war and you're destroying it!"

"Doesn't matter" Athena said smugly. "My granddaughter Elizabeth would have beaten him anyway"

"Why you-"

Amphitrite forgotten, the Greek Gods intervened, all either holding Ares back physically or trying to distract Athena who began to sing her beautiful Elizabeth's praises loudly to anger her brother even more.


	2. Chapter 2

The loneliness was half killing her and was half peaceful.

She never liked being lonely. Her whole childhood was lonely, a few friends here and there, a cold uncle and death surrounding her. And yet the people frustrated her at times. It was like no one understood who she was or how she felt. So the loneliness she felt was blessing and a cure all in one.

The beach was empty but that was expected for a small and shabby place. The cabins on the beach were cheap, small little pastel coloured wooden huts. Inside though the cabin was cosy, small little kitchen unit, a couple armchairs, a double bed and a bathroom thank god.

She looked over at the pale yellow sand towards the blue-green sparkling sea. She was always fascinated with the sea. She loved how it changed colour from a bright dazzling blue to a deep soulful green to stormy angry grey. Actually when she thinks about it she loves water in general. When she was younger the school had taken her swimming and she refused to get out of the pool. First detention she ever had. Her uncle had not been pleased.

But overall Montauk was a beautiful place and she was really lucky to find it.

She had hoped this breathing space, this grieving time, would help her collect her thoughts. Help her write. She managed a little but everything looked wrong and messed up and made her close to tearing her own hair out.

She's been having bad dreams too.

Mostly about her parents and how they died. She never witnessed it or anything but she always had a vivid imagination and the images she conjured will always haunt her.

She sighed heavily and chucked her notebook behind her shoulder before collapsing onto the sand and closing her eyes.

For some reason she felt like she was waiting for something.

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He had always been waiting for her.

Amphitrite. He had taken up mistresses from time to time but only ones that reminded him of her. It was usually a personality trait though it had helped if they were dark haired and green eyed. Zeus used to joke that he was creating a clone army to take over the world. That joke died very quickly after World War Two and they made their everlasting vow to never have another child.

But it never stopped him waiting for her. He knew she would return one day. She had to. Not because she promised but because Hades had informed him that her soul had finally been pushed through for reincarnation. So she had to be out there somewhere.

His son Triton had given up waiting for his mother to come. He had sometimes met his mistresses in a friendly matter but had informed him that they were not his mother and never will be. Despite no longer believing she would return, Triton had kept this promise and had protected his siblings over the centuries. Even the Cyclopes'.

Everyone moved on but him. The palace just felt lonely no matter how beautiful and magnificent it was. Olympus made him even lonelier as he was constantly reminded that he had no wife. Zeus, when he was in his most vicious mood, had made a show of kissing Hera in front of him.

"Master Poseidon! Master Poseidon! Oh Master Poseidon, it's just horrible!"

Poseidon turned to face the seahorse that had interrupted his thoughts. He mentally groaned when he saw who it was. "What is it now Shelley?" Shelley was his most annoying, bossy seahorse who had taken it onto herself to remind him to eat once in a while.

"It's Sebastian! He got tangled up in some dirty human's net and is now stuck on a beach! You have to help him!"

"Which one" he said standing up immediately. If a human had seen the seahorse it should be fine, after all the Mist would make it look like a blow-up bed or something. However humans have been known to be stupid enough to ride seahorses or harm them.

"Montauk, sir" Shelley squeaked.

He mounted Shelley and patted her head. "Take me there"

"You poor thing" she murmured as she petted the strange creature. She knew her mythology well enough to know it must be a seahorse but she wasn't quite sure if he was a figment of her imagination or the real deal. "Do you need help getting back into the water?" It whined a little and then nuzzled her hand. She had a feeling that meant yes and petted him a little longer before starting to pick him up. "Ooh you're a little heavy" she groaned as she began to drag him towards the sea. It glared at her as if to say he wasn't fat. She would have laughed if she hadn't thought she was near to losing her mind.

A large wave, bigger than her, suddenly pushed her onto the ground before dragging her into the water. The current wasn't strong and she was lying soaked in ankle height salty water. She couldn't help giggle a little, it was so unexpected and yet refreshing. She felt like she needed that wave more than anything else. She sat up slowly and pushed her wet hair back from her face and smiled warmly as she felt trickles of water sliding down her cheek.

This was where she belonged. The ocean. The water. It was calling for her and telling her 'welcome home'.

She looked out to the sea and for a moment, just a split second; she thought she saw a man riding another seahorse while scolding the one she had helped.

And then he vanished.

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After yelling at Sebastian was being stupid enough to get caught in a net and then have a human lugging him around, Poseidon sank down on his throne and gave his deadly glare to the seahorse.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked coldly.

Sebastian cringed. "I'm sorry Master...i didn't mean to get all tangled up....but that lady was really nice and didn't deserve being splashed like that" Poseidon's glare grew deadlier and Sebastian swam backwards. "Sh-sh-she could see through the Mist! And she didn't scream or anything! Instead she just helped me out of the net, petted me and was helping me back into the water when you came! I swear Master!"

"She can see through the Mist?"

"Y-y-yes"

"Hmmm...This needs a little investigating. You're on stable duty for the rest of the year; I don't want to see you in trouble again, got that?"

"Yes Master"

"You are dismissed" The seahorse swam away quickly and Poseidon smiled to himself. "It's been awhile since I had a conversation with a human. Especially a very generous one" he stood up and made his way out of his throne room, passing by a mermaid he said, "tell my son I'm busy with something"

"Yes, sir" she said before he left the palace.

It took no time at all to be back at Montauk. He kept to neck-height water as he watched the woman from before paddle in the sea. Her clothes were still damp from the wave he had sent and her dark hair was plastered to her face but other than that she was happy and unharmed. She turned slightly and looked out; not exactly looking at him it was more a dazed unfocused look as if she was daydreaming. But it was her eyes. Those eyes of wisdom that only a reincarnated soul would have. The eyes of sea green with such....imperialism that only a queen would have. She appeared a normal person but there was something about the way she held herself that made him think of a queen.

And then it just knew it.

He knew her.

"Amphitrite"


	3. Chapter 3

The moonlight looked silver on the sea. A beautiful silver shimmering breathing life force. It was hard to concentrate writing with something so beautiful to watch.

After drying off from her play in the sea and remembering to eat, Sally had fallen asleep for the rest of the afternoon and woken up to the moonlight dancing on her skin. She couldn't resist throwing on her thick cardigan and sitting out on the cool sand just to stare at the most breathtaking sight she had seen.

Smothering a yawn, she fell back on the cool sand and stared upwards at the sparkling stars. Her fingers began to play dot to dot as she formed to mythological pictures in her mind. As she murmured the stories behind each picture.

"Orion, now that was a waste of a son. All he did was play around with young girl's hearts and get killed by my anti-men niece of mine. He was good with dogs though. Never found a more loyal dog than Sirius"

Sally let out a squeal as she sat up and whipped her head around to see a tall man with dark hair and deep green eyes. He stood, towering over her in a rather intimidating way and yet she found it more thrilling than terrifying. There is something about this man. Something more to him that made her heart skip a beat.

Now don't get her wrong, Sally Jackson had boyfriends in high school. Not many since she was more concentrated on her education and taking care of her uncle, but she had a couple. Boys found her pretty enough to take to the dance or a football game. But none of them had ever made her heart beat extra fast or make her palms sweat or her stomach explode in millions of fluttering butterflies. She may be a romantic but even she was sceptical of love at first sight clichés.

But something about him definitely pulled her towards him.

He grinned in a rather cheeky way as he knelt down beside her. "Did I scare you?" he asked rather amused.

Her cheeks reddened. "No" she said gritting her teeth. "I'm just a little surprised"

He chuckled. A deep booming laugh that came from his stomach. His head was thrown back and she couldn't help but admire his broad, strong yet shaking shoulders. Once he stopped laughing he looked directly into her eyes and she felt spellbound. Like she had no choice but to stare back.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious. You're an interesting woman, not many can see through the Mist and those that do usually don't help seahorses or other mythical creatures"

"The what?"

She was beginning to wonder if she had gone insane. That she had created the creature earlier that day and now she is creating this devastatingly handsome yet irritating man.

"The Mist" he repeated looking very amused. "It's a magical fog that prevents humans from seeing mythological creatures. Like Satyrs or Centaurs or Minotaurs or even Furies. Unfortunately a side effect of the Mist makes some of the Half-Bloods' look like bad guys in human eyes. Every so often we get people who can see through it, like you. My nephew once dated a woman who can see through the Mist not too long ago. May I think her name was...or was it June...no it could have been April. I forgot, I don't pay attention to Hermes' love life"

She blinked at him. Not only was he quite talkative all of the sudden but he had just basically told her that Greek Mythology is real.

Well it certainly explained some of the people she met on the streets of New York.

"You're Poseidon" she stated calmly.

He looked...well the best word she could use was flabbergasted. "How...how did you know?" he asked searching her for something. A clue of what she was probably.

"Well, Hermes is Zeus' son, so you're not Zeus since he wouldn't refer his son as nephew. All the other male Greek gods are Zeus' sons apart from Poseidon and Hades and well...i don't think Hades would be out on a beach in a Hawaiian shirt being friendly"

He looked impressed. Very impressed. "You are one in a million, do you know that?" she blushed lightly and shook her head. He grinned. "Who are you?" he asked. He wanted her name. She knew his, so it was only fair he knew hers.

"Sally" she said. "Sally Jackson"

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. A true old fashioned gentleman. A right old charmer. But then he was literally a God and been around for thousands of years, so he would know every trick in the book, wouldn't he?

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sally Jackson" he said flirtatiously.

"Pleasure's all mine" she said smiling slightly. It truly was. Not many people could claim they met the Sea God.

"I have to go. Unfortunately the sea is very busy right now but I do hope I can visit you again. Will you be here for long, Sally?"

"For the rest of the summer. I won't be going back till October the latest" she said. "It would be nice if you came back again. It gets a little lonely out here. Not many tourists but then the peace and quiet helps me"

"I'll have to ask you why it helps when I visit you again" Poseidon said kissing Sally's hand one last time. "Goodbye Sally"

She watched him walk towards the water with such confidence that she never seen a person possess. She was also secretly admiring his behind because come on she was a healthy American teenager. She does have hormones! Once she was sure he was gone she fell back on the sand and looked back up the stars. They seemed to have dimmed or maybe they were no longer sparkling because she had found something even more dazzling.

"I've just met a Greek God" she told the sky. "Either I've lost my mind or I'm asleep. It's got to be one of the two...i just hope it's a dream so he could come back"


	4. Chapter 4

Dealing with sea business is easy. A few considerations of the consequences before making orders and it's done.

Dealing with sons is far more difficult.

He had many sons. And daughters. Most were dead though. A few weren't, some lived to old age while others manage to find some sense of immortality.

All of his children, though, were mentally screwed up some way or another. It seemed to be an inevitable of being a child of a Greek God.

Take Antaeus, for example, a very deranged son of his....very ugly son of his too.... but anyway, the boy is under the impression that he is Poseidon's favourite and takes it upon himself to make a temple out of skulls within the Labyrinth.

Triton, however, was a much more difficult case.

Losing his mother – though he was old enough to take care of himself – had been hard on the boy. Growing to care for his siblings and then having to watch each and every one of them die someway or another...had made him colder....harsher....more distant. Having a father that disappears and reappears...just makes him angry.

"Where the hell have you been? You missed a conference with the delegations of the Seven Seas! I had to cover for you!"

"Triton take a chill pill" Poseidon said without a second thought. He really had to stop watching reruns of teen programmes.

"Take a chill pill?! Take a chill pill?! What are you, seventeen?"

Poseidon walked past him. Not bothering to say anything else, obviously his heir was far too winded up to have a proper conversation. Or at least a calm and collected one.

"I've got some business to deal with and then I'm going out again to Montauk. Send a seahorse or a Pegasus if you're that worried"

"I'm not five, you know" Triton said bitterly.

"Well act you're age"

"You found another woman, haven't you?" Triton accused, his eyes narrowing. "Damnit! Father, you made a pact with your brothers. Keep to it or all could be lost"

"She's not just any woman"

"It's never just any woman. Your mistresses were always special one way or another but right now I don't care if she's a cross between Pamela Anderson, Mother Theresa and the Queen of England herself. No more siblings, not when this pact is hanging above your head"

Poseidon laughed. A deep booming chuckle. His son truly amused him.

"It's not funny!"

"Oh it is!" Poseidon said between chuckles. "Because Sally Jackson isn't just any woman. She might be your mother"

Triton paled. His warm brown skin had actually gone a sickly white. Poseidon stopped laughing as he watched his son in concern.

"I don't believe she's my mother"

Poseidon sighed. It was all too sudden right now. Triton had always been a Mummy's boy and hearing she'd been reincarnated was all too much. He needed time to adjust.

"Believe it, she's back, I'm sure of it." Triton glared and pursued his lips. But he didn't say anything so Poseidon reached out and squeezed Triton's shoulder. "Just let me have some time with her. Just a little time so I can be completely certain of it. Then you can meet her"

As he left the room, Triton muttered to himself, "You mean so you can get laid"

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"Sally"

Her eyes cracked open slightly. A blurred black and tanned shape hovered before her. She blinked and focused on the blur.

"Poseidon!" she half yelped as she shot up. She staggered to her feet when he wrapped a very warm arm round her waist. It was so warm she could feel it through her layers of clothing and subconsciously leaned into it. "Y-You're real" she stuttered slightly.

He cocked a black eyebrow up at her. "Really? Here's me thinking I was a figment of your imagination" he said a touch more sarcastic than he probably should.

She scowled at him. "Don't be sarcastic" she said sternly. "It was very late at night and I could have easily put our conversation down as a dream or madness"

He smirked. "Well I can assure you, I am very real" he let go of her waist and she almost whimpered at the lost. "Now then, coffee or tea? Or do you drink something a little healthier?"

"Coffee helps me get through late nights. Black and strong though I do like a little sugar, I have a huge sweet tooth" Sally said leading him to her cabin. "I have some orange juice, a little milk and of course water if you prefer something else"

"Orange juice will be fine" Poseidon said with a smile as she bustled round the kitchen.

"Would you like anything to eat? I haven't got much, just some eggs and bread right now...but I got a car and the nearest store isn't too far from here. In fact I'll just get my keys now an-"

He grabbed hold of her wrist as she was about to reach for a simple key hanging on old ragged cat key-ring. "Don't bother. I'm not hungry right now but you are"

"I'm fine" she said.

Her stomach rumbled loudly.

She blushed faintly and looked at the window just behind him.

He couldn't resist laughing. "C'mon, blue pancakes on me" he said dragging her out of the cabin.

"Blue...you can get blue pancakes?!"

"Sure you can. You can get all sort of blue food with that food colouring stuff you have now. Back in the old days I never had blue food, so now I like to eat as much as I can though I have to admit I like a bit of McDonalds here and there" he turned to see her looking at him with an amused smile but admiring eyes. He wondered if she was checking him out. He'd like it if she was. "Now then, swimming or flying?"

"Err....swimming if possible, I don't like the sky much"

Ha! Take that Zeus!

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She could hardly believe it.

She was dry. She had been in the sea, swam under without needing to breath and never got wet. A little part of her wanted to pinch herself. Just to make sure she really wasn't dreaming.

Here she was in a cafe, somewhere along the West Cost (she wasn't sure where, Poseidon had said but she couldn't remember), eating blue pancakes (that tasted like blueberry) as the Greek God of the sea told her about the basics of his world.

Ambrose and Nectar. God food that could kill a human and a Half-Blood if they ate too much. All the different type of monsters. What his siblings and nephews and nieces were like. He briefly mentioned a camp for the half-human, half-God children before hurrying along and asking her about her life.

"Nothing much to say, I lived with my uncle up till his death and now I'm looking for something as I try to write a book" Sally said taking a sip of the tasty coffee. It was rather nice, bittersweet almost. "I did well in school, had very little friends, a couple boyfriends here and there but that's really it"

"What about your parents?"

"They died" she said looking down at her coffee. "A very long time ago. I was a little child; no older than five...it was a plane crash"

He winced. No wonder she didn't like flying. "I'm sorry" he said sincerely. "It...It was probably Zeus' temper...and I probably set it off....so I'm sorry"

She took his hand. Just reached out and grabbed it, her tiny little fingers squeezing his. Her little delicate nails pinching into his skin. "It is not your fault" she said in a dangerous tone. A tone that told him to not push it or he'll end up regretting it for the rest of his days. "It is not your fault. Things happen, maybe the Gods accidentally caused it, maybe they didn't but it's just fate. So never blame yourself or your brother"

He placed his spare hand over hers. "I won't"

She smiled. A little nervous one. "Good" she used her spare hand to take another bite of the blue pancakes; once she swallowed she gave him a bright grin. "These, are the best pancakes ever!"

He grinned at her. A dazzling, wonderful grin that made her heart pick up a little fast tempo, "I told you so, didn't I?" He let go of her hand and dug into his own stack. After a few bites he winked. "I'm usually right about a lot of things"

She laughed. "I'm sure you are" she took another bite of pancake. "I think I'll only ever eat blue pancakes in the future"


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I have to admit, the Aphrodite scene was inspired by a different Sally/Poseidon fic. Please R&R, there's a bit of a cliff-hanger and I'm sure you'd want to me to update soon...**

"No way!" Sally giggled.

"Yes way" Poseidon said in a teasing tone.

"No, there's no way I'll believe that you had a fling with Catherine of Aragon! You're lying"

"I am most certainly not!" Poseidon said indignant. "Tudor England was very exciting, we actually stayed in Britain until the late Queen Victoria died, that was when America began to be more interesting"

"So what was she like? The Spanish Queen?" Sally asked leaning towards him in interest. "Was she as proud as they say? All Christian and good?"

"Oh I wouldn't call her good, she wasn't exactly a French mistress but she had her perks" Poseidon purred causing Sally to laugh again. "It was a very brief fling, just after she was left in the moors by her husband for Anne Boleyn. Aphrodite's fault, she loved playing with Henry, made him love all sorts of women when she got bored she added drama and went to see if their love was true. Never was, I think the man was too in love with his reflection than anything" he sighed. He had to admit it was disgusting how they played with human lives. But then that was their nature, they got bored to quickly and had to find a new toy to keep them interested. "She was a very engaging woman, a true princess. She was a good queen but I never thought of her as a true queen, probably because her marriage to the Prince Arthur was consummated. While it was necessary to lie about it so she could keep her throne it was probably because of that I couldn't see her as a queen"

That and he found it difficult to find women to be true queens when Hera and Amphitrite were around. He remembered the day Anne Boleyn replaced Catherine vividly. They had all attended her coronation, Aphrodite was gleeful and ecstatic at all the chaos she had caused while Hera, Amphitrite and Athena gazed down at Anne in disgust. Athena had been so disappointed that her daughter won her place by using _Aphrodite_ tactics. Amphitrite had put all women, Anne included, to shame in how graceful and dignified she was. Poseidon remembered the smirk when he held her closer to him under the king's eye.

"What else?" Sally asked. "What else did you and the Gods do in England?"

He grinned. "Well, we interfered a lot in Elizabeth's reign. Mary and Edward weren't that interesting. Ares was happy when the Civil War came around. Happiest he'd been in a long time I think. We all took sides on that, I was with the Parliament side. Free voting and all. It wasn't until it turned out they were total joy-suckers that I turned sides"

"Do you usually cause war?"

"Well not all wars, the World Wars were our fault. That was the Half-Bloods fighting against one another in our honour. There had been a few others like the Spanish Armada, but other than that. Not really"

Sally stared at him with a piercing gaze. It was hard to not fidget under it. Consciously she was just admiring him for being so involved in history. But subconsciously he could see that intimidating stare that Amphitrite had. The one that could see through all his lies and often end up sending him to sleep elsewhere.

This woman was most definitely his wife. Queen amongst all women.

He leaned over and kissed her chastely. "I have to go" he told her. "I won't be able to visit for a while. The summer solstice is approaching and the family meet to discuss business and try to kill one another"

"So a normal family reunion?"

He grinned. "Yeah, it'll be worse since Persephone will be there and Demeter will spend all of it complaining about her daughter living with the God of Death, 'why couldn't you marry Apollo, at least he was the God of Medicine'"

His voice went high and squeaky, trying to mimic Demeter's horrid whine. Sally laughed once more.

"Try not to cause another war" she told him.

"Yes mother" She swatted him and he ducked laughing. "I'll be back soon, promise" he said kissing her one last time before heading back to the ocean.

It took all he had to not look back. Because if he did, he was sure he would race over to her and stay with her instead of going.

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The few days away were agonising. They dragged out for so long that Poseidon wondered if Zeus manipulated time just to spite him. The talks were boring, they did nothing but bicker and then the ones that didn't make a pact bragged about their wonderful children or new lovers.

It was a wonder that they hadn't killed each other yet.

After Zeus declared feast time, Poseidon eagerly fled to the buffet table not interested in speaking to any of his siblings. Dionysus was already there pouring out a diet coke while looking irritated and frustrated. He shot a dark look at Poseidon as he helped himself to a glass of wine.

Obviously Dionysus hasn't gotten over his hundred year ban of alcohol.

"Brother" Aphrodite purred. He turned and almost dropped his wine when he saw a replica of Amphitrite in a red satin dress. She laughed, "Oh I do love playing with your head brother" she said.

"Aphrodite. Don't you have other people to scare?" he said coldly.

"Why? You are so much fun to play with" she stepped closer to him, hand pressed against his chest as she kissed his cheek. She smelt strongly of French perfume, nothing like the sea. "Oh brother, you have been up to something naughty, haven't you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about"

"Don't be shy brother; I can smell forbidden love a mile away. It's my favourite kind, the forbidden fruit, ever so sweet and desirable" she patted his cheek. "Don't worry, Zeus has been naughty as well and I wouldn't put it past Hades to have a harem! Your secret is safe with me...for now of course"

"Goodbye Aphrodite" he growled, wondering if anyone would actually care if he killed her.

"Au reviour brother" she purred before making her way towards Athena, turning into a different woman. A daughter probably.

The sooner he can leave the better.

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Sally was bored and lonely.

Her book wasn't going where it should and now Poseidon was gone she was suffering writer's block again.

Poseidon.

She missed him. She missed him more than she should. This was a man that her very being ached to be with. A man she doesn't feel complete without. She shouldn't feel this for him. She was a human and he was a God, she wouldn't be allowed to spend all her life with him and she couldn't spend all her life wishing she could.

But god, she wanted to. So very much.

"Come back soon" she whispered out loud to the empty cabin.

There was a knock on the door and she jumped. She didn't think her words would have that much power. Quickly checking her reflection while combing her fingers through her hair, she rushed to the door satisfied that she looked all right.

"Po...oh hello, how can I help you?"

It was a young boy, no older than she was with dark hair and green eyes like Poseidon. He was equally tanned and wore long shorts and baggy t-shirt in bright blues.

"Ms Jackson?" he asked, she nodded slightly take aback with his professional tone. "My name is Triton; I believe you know my father. Poseidon?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Here's your water" Sally murmured placing a glass in front of the boy. She then sat down and fidgeted uncomfortably as his green eyes stared at her coolly. "So...you're Poseidon's son" she said loudly to break the silence.

"You don't seem that surprised"

"Your father's mentioned you...briefly. And well, he's a Greek God, he's been around for thousands of years, he's bound to have thousands of children"

"And you don't seem that upset about it"

"Well, there's nothing that I can do about it, can I? I mean, sure I could be jealous but why should I? Majority of these people were in the past and even if Poseidon had more girls on the go while seeing me, I can't put up a fuss. I'm just insignificant in the grand scheme of things"

He stared at her with a thoughtful look and for a moment, just a brief moment; she thought she saw a strange mix of anger, affection and sympathy all mixed up in one. It was almost like he was trying to judge her. To see if she was worthy of his father's affection. She should have realised that the moment he appeared on the beach, after all every child judges their possible stepparent. Event if she's not going to be his future step-mother, probably never will and has no real plans to be, he'll still want to see what she was like.

"You're a rather remarkable young woman" Triton finally said breaking eye contact with her. "Most human lovers become selfish or don't understand that the Gods can't stay with them. For example last year a lover of Ares went insane and tried to kill him when she found out about one of his other lovers. Needless to say she joined Hades in the Underworld"

"Yes....needless" Sally muttered, wondering how someone could talk about murder so casually. Then again, Gods don't have the same morals as a human.

He gulps down the water. "I can't stay for long. Father would be back and I don't particularly want him to know I was here"

"That's ok, I won't say a word" Sally said jumping out of her seat immediately. She opened the door for him and smiled. "Take care and don't worry so much. I'm sure your father can take care of himself"

He stared at her with innocent wide eyes. He almost looked like her own age. Innocent, naive and scared of reality. Though she knew too much of reality to really count as part of her age group.

"You take care too" he said, and he looked surprised at himself too, "Father has a lot of enemies, they might see you as an easy mark"

She nodded uneasily and he walked out of the door. "Goodbye" she said.

"Bye"

She stood there, watching this young man walk into the sea until it consumed him and dragged him under to whatever magical palace or headquarters he lived at. She sighed and rested her head against the warm wooden doorframe.

No matter how hard she tried. She couldn't remember where she had seen that boy before. She just knew she had to take care of him but she couldn't remember why.

Life hadn't gotten even more confusing.

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Triton marched into the palace, ignoring the servants cries of surprise as he pushed past them into his own bed chambers. Like his father, Triton liked to keep up with the times while keeping a bit of the old in. So all his furniture had been from the last time he gave his room a makeover...the eighteenth century, probably....maybe a little before.

He had a four-poster bed with various shades of blue on the curtains and bedding. The wooden frame was white with a seashell design. He really needed to change that, it was far too girly.

But the large TV fixed to his wall with the matching game console totally made up for it.

And the fact, sandwiched between books, was many cool CDs and games. He had a stereo hidden somewhere with loads of sound speakers. Music had always been the best way to soften his father's rages. Not that it put Poseidon in a good mood, just meant that the sounds of his shouting sounded better with Pink Floyd in the background.

On his bedside table, was oil painted miniature of a woman. Dark elegant black curls, deep sea green eyes, pale skin and a beautiful dress that had been in style of the time.

His mother.

He picked the miniature and looked at it. "She's not you" he said aloud. "Sally Jackson is not you"

And he was right. Sally Jackson was a vulnerable little girl with a casualness that seemed unusual for a human to posses around a God. Sally may have his mother's wit, intelligence and beauty but she couldn't wear it as well as his mother had. In fact on a closer look she didn't even look like his mother.

Her eyes were too light. Almost blue in a certain light. Her hair was too wild and was only tamed with a hair bobble. Her skin had more colour, she didn't ever seem to stop blushing and she had an air of sheer stupidity. Like all humans did.

"She's not you" he repeated firmly.

He refused to ever believe that Sally could be his mother. But then what did he know? Truly. He never knew his mother before he was born and by then she had centuries of being the Queen of the Sea. He had always known his mother to be stern, controlled and elegant. Yet she would be passionate and a fury in everything but looks when she lost that control. She had never been vulnerable in front of him.

So maybe, just maybe, his father was right and Sally Jackson was his mother.

"She's not you" he repeated again. Less sure of himself than before.

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He wondered if it was strange that the moment he was allowed to go home he had immediately gone to Montauk to see Sally. He had only known her for a while and already he saw her home. Normally that would unnerve a man but he knew. He knew that this woman was his.

"Poseidon!" Sally cried out joyfully as she ran across the beach and hugged him tightly. "How was it?"

"It was all right. Boring but I was eager to get back to you" he liked that she blushed lightly. Amphitrite hadn't done that since the early years of their courtship. He kissed her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I missed you"

"Missed you too" she said smiling. "Are you thirsty or hungry?"

"No I'm fine, darling" he kissed her again. "I best be going, it's late and I don't want you sitting up all night. We may or may not have a busy day in my palace tomorrow"

She looked at him with wide eyes. "You mean you might show me...?"

"Depends what disasters are happening in the ocean. Most likely I'll show you my gaming room"

She wondered if that was code for bedroom. Probably not.

He kissed her again. "Good night Sally, I'll bring blue pancakes when I can"

"Ok, good night"

He kissed her again. "Love you"

"Love you too"

Another kiss and he left. Because if he stayed, then he would have picked her up over his shoulder and then ravished her in the cabin without a second thought. He shouldn't lose control not this early in the relationship.

It took him another ten minutes to realise what was his and her parting words.

I love you....

Holy shit.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: for my baby brother who makes the best double chocolate brownies in the world. May he make more very soon...especially if he wants another update. Please R&R**

The sun was warm against her face. A soft orange glow could be seen even when her eyes were shut. She rolled over and groaned, too tired to get up just yet.

There was a discreet cough from the far side of her cabin.

Her eyes shot open as she sat up quickly. There stood Poseidon in his usual shorts and summer shit, however instead of his mischievous grin, he looked furious. His green eyes filled with rage, like a storm, his nostrils were flared out and his hands were curled in fists.

"Poseidon" she said a little wary of him.

"Who was here yesterday, Sally? This cabin smells like the ocean" he asked in an icy voice that sent shivers down her spine. And not the good shivers either. She kept her head down, staring at her duvet, refusing to look at him. "I asked you a question Sally" she bit her lip anxiously. "ANSWER ME!" she flinched.

"I...I...I can't tell you. I made a promise to not" she whispered.

He growled. "Sally, there are many ancient sea gods that are not pleased with me being in power. They wouldn't hesitate to hurt me through you, it would destroy me to see you dead, so please...tell me"

It was so difficult to not tell him. His voice had gotten softer and she knew he cared for her so much, feared for her safety. But she could not tell him. It would break a promise and she hated promise breakers. Her parents and uncle were prime example of promise breakers.

"I can't" she said firmly. "I don't break promises"

"Go get dressed" he said coldly. "I'll wait for you outside"

He then turned from her and marched out, head held up high in pride as the door slammed shut behind him. Sally then jumped out of bed and ran into the little bathroom; she turned the sink tap on and shoved her head under. After a few seconds of having cold water running through her hair, she stood up properly staring at her reflection in a hysterical sadness.

"I've messed it up" she whispered horrified. "He'll never forgive me"

He was her everything. She knew it was ridiculous and eventually led to heartbreak but she couldn't help it. He was everything she had wanted in a man; good-humoured, intelligent, caring, fun, good-looking and just plain wonderful. And now she blew it. By keeping a promise to his own son.

The cold water trickling down her neck woke her up from her tangled thoughts. She shook her head and got through all the motions without thinking.

Looking at her reflection she could see it was not going to be a good hair day but overall she looked fine. Taking a deep breath she left the cabin and found Poseidon standing by the sea, so close that the waves were overlapping his toes.

"Hi" she said quietly. He didn't answer, didn't even bother to look at her and she winced. "I'm sorry...i know I'm messing everything up with this promise, but I take my promises seriously and I refuse to break them. I swear to you that this person will do no harm to me or you" she took a deep breath and he still didn't even turn to look at her. "I guess...I'll see you later...when you're less angry"

She hoped she'll see him later. She would hate this to be the last time she spoke to him. That she never even got to see his beautiful face before he left her for good. She began to walk away when he grabbed hold of her wrist, she turned and he looked a bit grim but didn't say anything. She stared at his hand on her wrist, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

"Come on" he said finally. "Let's go, I said I'll show you my palace, didn't I?"

She couldn't help but grin as he led her into the ocean.

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In all honesty Sally couldn't concentrate on the beautiful palace. She was too busy worrying about Poseidon. He obviously was still unhappy with her and this might just be a way to say 'I'm breaking up with you'. If it was then it was a sick twisted way to do it. She shook her head trying to get rid off the thought; no man would take a woman to his home if he was going to break up with her. Right?

From what had seeped into her panicked brain, she could tell the sea palace was beautiful. Pearly white marble designed in various time eras that Poseidon had lived through, it was complicated and beautiful. He did indeed show her the gaming room, it was quite a sight with darts, bowling, hundreds of decks of cards stacked on one table, another table cluttered with board games and various large computer/arcade games.

"You want to play something?" Poseidon asked.

"Erm...sure" Sally murmured.

"What would you like to play?"

"I don't know...what would you like to play?" Sally asked shyly.

"No go on, pick a game"

"Erm..." Sally drifted to a pile of board games and shuffled through them until she found Scrabble. She held it up to him. "How about this?" she asked.

He grinned. "Prepare to be beaten. I kick ass in Scrabble; Hades has yet to forgive me in our last game"

They set the game up on the floor and sat cross-legged as they began to play. Poseidon had been winning by twenty points when the door slammed open and Triton looked round a little wild eyed.

"I just heard you got home Fa....what are you doing here?" he finished off rudely.

Poseidon glared at Triton. "Triton don't be rude to our guest...hang on how do you know Sally?"

"I don't know Father, probably because you won't stop talking about her" Triton said sarcastically.

"You were in her cabin weren't you?"

Sally ducked her head down and concentrated on her word tiles as the two men glared at one another.

"Come on Sally" Poseidon said in the same cold voice he spoke earlier that day, "we'll carry on our game on Montauk"

He stood glaring at the door as Sally quietly packed up the Scrabble. She held it close to her chest as she walked past Triton she glanced at him but he stared determinedly ahead, ignoring her, she sighed and stepped beside Poseidon who took her hand.

As she was pulled away she kept glancing back at Triton, an instinct growing inside her to protect him.

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Triton waited for his father in the throne room. It was usually the room where his father sat there brooding or raging. This was the room where Triton often got his punishment amongst the many criminals of the sea. Of course his was community service or grounding. Either way he still got the look of fury directed at him.

His father had deliberately made him wait. Part of the punishment. To make him nervous and agitated. That really pissed him off. He hated that and was prepared to shout back at his father, to make him shut up even if he never listens to a word Triton says. It still is satisfying to shout.

The doors slammed open and there stood his father. He looked so furious that he was ice and fire all at once. It didn't scare Triton as much as it used to but he still flinched. Automatic reaction.

"Well?" Poseidon said coldly.

"I wanted to meet her" Triton said simply.

"And?"

"I think you should leave her alone" Triton snapped. "She's a human, an innocent girl, barely older than a child. Do you remember your pact? You do know that human birth control doesn't work against God sperm, Apollo said. His latest flame was taking the pill but she still got pregnant. You can't drag her into this mess. I don't care if you think she's the next best thing since speedboats, she's not my mother!"

Poseidon raised an eyebrow. "You're done?" gritting his teeth, Triton nodded. "Good. Now it's my turn. If you wanted to meet Sally you could have just said and I would have introduced you today. But no you went behind my back and because of that I'm furious at you. You're grounded. For six months, you won't leave your bedroom"

"What the hell?!"

"I think it's fair. Because of you, I and Sally had our first argument. She refused to tell me who visited her and I feared it might be one of the old Sea Gods" Poseidon sat down at his throne and sighed heavily. "You may go"

Triton turned stiffly and slowly began to walk out of the throne room. As confrontations went, that was the best one they had in over a century.

"Oh and Triton?"

He turned slightly. "Yes?"

"She keeps her promises and doesn't back down. Give it a few more centuries and she'll be exactly the same as she was before. Sally Jackson is your mother"

At that Triton stormed out of the throne room and ran as fast as he could to his bedroom.

He won't accept it.

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It was chilly again and so she was wearing a cardigan as she walked along the beach. The moon was out and everything was silvery. A beautiful sight and inspirational, yet not words could come to mind.

All she could think about was Poseidon.

Was he still mad at her?

Will he break up for her?

Would he punish Triton?

Would she never see him again?

"Sally"

She turned to see Poseidon standing behind her. He was still angry but it didn't seem to be directed at her. He was also a lot calmer than before, like a mild storm instead of a raging furious storm that stirred all the seas.

"Poseidon" she whispered stepping closer to him. "Are you ok?"

He laughed. It was an empty laugh and made her heart ache for him. "I'll be fine; I should be used to Triton's issues with me. It's been centuries since they've started"

She cupped his face with her hand, inwardly marvelling at his warm soft yet rough skin. "You shouldn't be too harsh. He was only looking out for you" she said gently.

"He's grounded. It should give him enough time to think. He's not used to this, oh my mistresses yes. I had thousands, more since my wife died. But a possible stepmother...now that's unnerving for him"

Her eyes widened in a mix of shock and fear. "St-st-st..." she couldn't even get the words out.

His hand wrapped round hers on his cheek. "Sally, I have never said I love you so easily until I met you. I'm not thinking of marriage right now, that's too rash and irrational. Especially with my brothers who would do anything to stop a human interfering our lives. But I am willing to be with you forever. I'm so madly in love with you that it's driving me insane, never have I wanted to skip a solstice; it's blasphemy to think such a thing. But for you I would be glad to miss thousands of them if it meant I got more of your time. I love you"

She smiled and replied without even thinking. "I love you too" she said. "I feel so happy and safe with you. Every moment is more vivid and bright than any other moment in my life. For some reason I am ridiculously excited when I hear your voice or see you smile. I just want to stay here with you until the world ends around us"

"Nicely put" he grinned causing her to giggle. He then kissed her, first playfully but then a sense of urgency caught up between them. His rough hands went to unbutton her cardigan when she pushed them away.

"Not here, it's too cold" she murmured as she wound her arms round his neck again. "The cabin, I want to do this in my bed"

"As you wish" he murmured against her lips before picking her up and carrying her over his shoulder towards the cabin.

He then made sure the door was firmly locked so there would be no disturbances.


	8. Chapter 8

The months sped past in a strange happy blur. The summer ended and instead of looking at a grim grey future, Sally was looking at a warm happy present filled with visits from Poseidon, endless nights of not being lonely and that little void of emptiness being filled.

It was strange to be back in New York. Half the time she felt like she should be on Montauk, lying on the beach with the sun above her and the sea filling all of her senses. It was like she belonged in the sea than this city.

The trees had already turned into fiery colours as the leaves began to fall off. She was a bit shocked that winter had come already. Time really does pass faster when you're having fun. The only time Poseidon had been gone for more than a couple times had been for the Harvest festival...and a few other celebratory days.

She wondered if he wanted to spend Thanksgiving with her. She could invite Triton too, she hadn't heard from or about him in a long time. It's been a while since she truly enjoyed Thanksgiving, last year she was too busy taking care of her uncle and the few years before that they were spent with a friend's family. Feeling as if she didn't belong there.

This year she had a lot to be thankful for. Mostly just Poseidon. But that was more than enough. More than she deserved.

"I never understood these new traditions" Poseidon said on the actual day. They were in the kitchen working on the dinner. "Most are similar to the old celebrations but I never understood Thanksgiving, especially since I recall the Native Americans and white Americans killing each other for centuries afterwards"

"I think it is just a way for us to say thank you to one another. To try and be peaceful" Sally said chopping up the carrots.

"My family could use a holiday like this. Unfortunately I think we might start a war before dinner is over"

Sally grinned. "Is Triton going to join us?" she asked.

"No, he's still in confinement and will be until the Winter Solstice" Poseidon said flatly.

"Six months of being grounded, don't you think that's a bit extreme?" Sally frowned. She knew it was dangerous to question Poseidon sometimes but she felt the need to protect Triton a little. "He only spoke to me"

Poseidon cupped her face and made her look at him. "Sweetheart, he interfered with my love life. If I let him get away with it then I might as well make him King of the Seas while I'm at it" he kissed her. "You shouldn't worry so much for him. Six months is like a month to us. We've been alive for so long that's it's nothing but a blink for us"

"Ah" Sally murmured turning back to the vegetables. "Well...i still think Triton was looking out for your best interests"

"Well don't worry. He's fine and almost free, as long as he doesn't come barging in here"

The rest of the day had been spent on the sofa watching the TV while digesting the large dinner. When Poseidon had to go Sally shoved some leftovers for Triton, she didn't care how fine he was, he was still a growing immortal boy.

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Christmas, however, was a lonely time of year for Sally. Poseidon was in Olympia playing Happy Families...well trying to not kill his siblings...and all her friends were busy. Not that she kept good contact with them. Working, writing and Poseidon had kept her far too busy than it should have. She didn't even bother decorating the small flat, instead she brought herself a few good books for the long week Poseidon would be away for and lots of food while the shops would be shut.

On Christmas Eve Sally was dozing on her sofa. For the past week she had been feeling unnaturally tired. Even her bones ached in exhaustion and she hadn't been doing any heavy lifting. With another yawn she decided to have a shower then another hot chocolate before bed. Then she would get to open Poseidon's present in the morning. She couldn't wait to see what he got her.

She stumbled into the bathroom and realised she had no shower gel left. Groaning she went to the cupboard where she kept a stock of bathroom supplies. She blinked and picked something up.

An unopened box of tampons.

And there was another one too.

And another.

She usually kept three packs in her cupboard to last her three months. That kept expenses down for two good months. She usually started near the end of the month. In fact she should be on her period right now.

But she wasn't.

She wasn't cramping or feeling too emotional or even craving chocolate. She was just tired.

Suddenly having a shower was the last thing on her mind.

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Everyone but Dionysus was half drunk and celebrating. The God of Wine had taken to sulking in a corner while staring wistfully at his goblet of diet coke. Zeus was laughing loudly at a joke Hermes made while Hera and Demeter were discussing something rather serious, probably husbands. Artemis and Apollo were bickering and Aphrodite was all over Ares while her husband glared. Athena was lounging on her throne with a book and even Hades, Hestia and Persephone were there. The other minor Gods were having their own private celebrations or none at all. Poseidon didn't really care.

Triton was unsuccessfully flirting with one of Artemis' Huntresses but at least it meant he was out of Poseidon's way and love life.

Poseidon sat down besides Dionysus with a goblet of water. He wasn't going to cause a case of huffiness because he was drinking wine. "How's the camp going?" he asked politely.

"Nauseating"

"Children aren't that bad. I always found them highly amusing and rather endearing" Poseidon said.

"You know how much I hate half-bloods" Dionysus scowled. "Now what do you want?"

"Nothing. Can't I speak to my nephew?" Poseidon said innocently.

Dionysus snorted. "My father tries that innocent look on his wife. It never works. Now what do you want?"

"I might have found Amphitrite. Of course she is human and I have started a sexual relationship with her" Poseidon said quietly. "I'm wondering what you think about your father's reaction if I gave her the pearl"

Dionysus looked over at his father and then turned back to Poseidon. "If you give her the pearl before she is pregnant then he'll most likely welcome Aunt Amphitrite with open arms. Hera has missed her dearly. However the pearl would kill any child that this human is carrying if she is pregnant and you would have to wait until the child is born. But then of course you would have a half-blood child to explain to my father"

"As far as I know she is not with child" Poseidon murmured.

"Best keep hoping she remains so for you to give her, her powers back" Dionysus said gulping the last of his diet coke. "Now...think you could slip me a wine without Father dearest noticing?"

Poseidon roared with laughter. "I rather not have your father angry at me" he said between chuckles.

"Bastard" Dionysus grumbled.

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"Sally? You there?" Poseidon called out the day after New Years. He was wearing his new shirt she had brought him along with some paintings of what supposed to be him. He had to admit those gave him a few laughs. "Hello?"

He was anxious to give her the pearl now before she was pregnant. He didn't want to break the pact. He didn't want to lose a potential child either.

The bathroom door opened and she stood there looking exhausted. Her hair was snarly and tangled, almost scary enough to rival Medusa. Her eyes were bloodshot and had large purplish black bruises underneath. As if she hasn't been sleeping properly. And she was wearing her flannel pyjamas clutching desperately to something in her right hand.

The only good thing he could hold onto was that she's wearing his present. A sliver locket shaped into a seashell.

"Sally, are you ill?" he asked concerned as he crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "No offense sweetheart but you look awful"

She gave a weak laugh and pulled away. "I know" she said pushing her hair out of her face, "I had a few rough nights"

"Missed me?" he asked playfully.

"Always" she said. "Poseidon...I...don't know how to tell you this...but something happened..."

"Was it Triton?"

"No"

"A monster?"

"No, no I haven't seen one in a long time"

He nodded. He knew she had seen many when she was a child. Had many nightmares and was never comforted for them. "Did a human hurt you?" he asked. Anger and anxiety were bubbling away in his stomach.

"No" she said shaking her head. "Poseidon...I'm...I'm pregnant"

He stared at her for a long time. Trying to comprehend the words. Words he hadn't heard in decades. Words he thought he would never hear. Words that ruined his plans. That meant he would have to wait. Meant that Sally was now in danger with Zeus and Hades, two very powerful Gods who would tear the world apart just to kill her.

He could only sum this situation in one word.

"Fuck"


	9. Chapter 9

"Fuck" he repeated.

Sally's eyes flashed dangerously. "Fuck?" she hissed. "Fuck? I tell you I'm pregnant, with your child and all you can say is fuck?" she was starting to become a little hysterical. "I'm not even twenty one and I'm pregnant! I don't have a career, I don't have family, how am I supposed to look after this baby? What if I'm a terrible mother and accidentally drop him on the head?" she sunk down onto the sofa. "Oh god..."

"Sally, Sally calm down sweetheart" Poseidon said worriedly. He sat down beside Sally on the sofa and placed a hand on her thigh. "It'll be all right. You'll make a wonderful mother; I've seen you with people in general. You're kind and sweet yet stern if they've done something wrong. You keep promises remember?"

Sally nodded still looking pale and terrified.

"Oh Sally, I'm so sorry" Poseidon said softly. "I'm so sorry with what I'm going to have to tell you"

Sally looked at him. There was a strange look of understanding and sadness in her eyes. "You can't stay with me. Can you?"

"Gods can't be in their children's lives" Poseidon said apologetically. "It's a stupid rule, I know. But that's not all...Sally, my wife died. A very long time ago but she had been assured of reincarnation"

Sally looked at him with mortification and disbelief. "You think I'm...?" she shook her head. "I can't be! I'm just plain old Sally, there's nothing special about me"

"Don't say that!" Poseidon snapped. "You are a queen. More than a queen. You're a Queen amongst all queens. You're beautiful, loving, bright and stubborn. You could face down Zeus himself if you had to"

"This is all too much to take in" Sally said hiding her face into her hands.

"I'm sorry, but there's more"

"More?"

"I could make you a Goddess again but...the power...it would kill the baby"

She clutched at her stomach. "No" she whispered looking horrified. "Not my baby"

Poseidon softened and cupped her face. "Already a protective mother" he said smiling. "Sally, having this baby will be dangerous. Monsters will come after it all the time, it'll be my son or daughter the scent is incredibly strong. I advise you to send it to Camp Half Blood as soon as possible, just for the summer. They'll teach the baby to protect itself from the monsters and to understand their...problems. The child will have several syndromes making it difficult to learn at school..."

"I don't care" Sally said. "I won't send my baby away. I'm its mother; I should be protecting it and teaching it to protect itself"

"I know, I know but Chiron is a brother of mine. He's a fantastic teacher; he takes care of all the Half-Bloods as if they're his. The baby will be safe" Poseidon sighed. Time to give her the worst news of all. "Sally, I'm not supposed to have anymore children"

"W-what do you mean?" she stuttered slightly.

"Zeus, Hades and I have made a pact. To never sire another child. We swore on the River of Styx"

"Why?"

"Because a child of ours could destroy all of Olympus and the world. World War Two was caused by our children, this baby could start another"

"My baby won't" she whispered. "I'll raise it to be a good child, it won't cause any war"

"Sally..."

He felt helpless. There was nothing to comfort to her. Their child would start a war, willingly or not. Zeus and Hades would hunt it down and wage a war against the sea. He remembered the Gulf War they caused last year. Small little skirmish but that had just been over an old conquest that apparently all three had. His son or daughter would probably cause a Mutually Assured Destruction.

"Please...i need some time alone to think" she whispered.

He nodded and pressed a kiss on her cheek before leaving. He hoped that their child will be safe and no one would ever discover their existence. Sally couldn't afford to lose another family member.

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Triton had suspected that his father had immediately snuck off to see Sally. Rather ridiculous really since Poseidon wasn't a teenager, wasn't even someone's son anymore and he was sneaking off like a teenage brat. He didn't blame Sally for his father's behaviour; Sally sadly was more mature than a billion old God. However Triton had also suspected that his father would have spent the night catching up with Sally, hopefully just verbally but Poseidon was always a tramp so there was little hope for that.

So when his father appeared at his bedroom door looking like his favourite seahorse died, Triton was worried.

"Father?"

Poseidon placed down a beautiful green-blue pearl in Triton's hand. "This is your mother's powers. I want you to protect them with your life"

Triton clutched the pearl tightly. It felt small and silky and yet so powerful. "Why are you giving it to me?"

"I can't give it to Sally"

"Because she's not Mother"

"No because she's pregnant"

There was a deathly silence. Triton could hear absolutely nothing as he stared at his father praying that he was only jesting or something.

"Tell me you're joking" he said icily.

"I wish"

"YOU BLOODY IDIOT!" Triton roared suddenly on fire with fury. "SHE'S JUST A GIRL! SHE'S BARELY OUT OF HER GIRLHOOD AND YOU PUT HER IN THIS SITUATION! HOW IS SHE GOING TO SURVIVE ALL THOSE MONSTERS? HOW IS SHE GOING TO PROTECT THIS CHILD? HOW WILL SHE HIDE IT FROM ZEUS AND HADES THEMSELVES? WHY THE HELL COULDN'T YOU JUST KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS FOR FUCK SAKE?"

Triton was panting and glaring at Poseidon as he struggled to calm down. If looks could kill then Poseidon would have been dead a thousand times by now.

"What do you have to say for yourself, _father"_ he said the word father as if it was dirty and disgusting. Poseidon only stared at his son with a mix of grieve guilt and sorrow. "Please leave, I wish to rest from our family celebration. Hopefully I will be able to resolve the situation; otherwise we'll all be doomed"

Poseidon stepped back and allowed Triton to slam the door in his face.

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The next day Poseidon returned to Sally who was sitting by the docks in Brooklyn. He was surprised to find her so close to the ocean but gathered she was hoping to find him, herself.

She wordlessly passed him a Styrofoam cup of coffee and stared out to the grey sea. It was gloomy and depressing, just like his mood was.

"I'm keeping it" she said firmly.

"Sally-"

"No arguments. I don't have a family Poseidon and...I'm not cut out to be a goddess. I can't slip back into that life. I want this baby, I want to have a family and I want to have something of my own. It's selfish I know. It's dangerous and I get it...but this is something I want to do"

Poseidon sighed and took a sip of coffee. The warmth didn't feel the coldness of his insides. He was too filled with his own depression. "I insist on Camp Half-Blood. Especially when he gets older, it'll be more and more difficult to protect him from the monsters. The scent will get too strong. Avoid all phones for him, it broadcasts the scent and..."

"And?"

"Tell him or her, that even though I'm not there I would have loved them dearly. I would have wanted them. But..."

"But?"

He took a deep breath and said the most dreaded words that every child of his had heard from their mother.

"Tell the child I am missing at sea"


	10. Chapter 10

Being pregnant was probably the most difficult thing Sally had ever done in her short life. She was alone, young and inexperienced. She had no idea what to do and was frightened of doing a single thing that might hurt the baby. On top of that she felt lonely, her apartment felt too big, cold, empty and quiet without Poseidon, ever so slowly, her heart was breaking.

She was going to have her first scan soon and she desperately didn't want to go alone. For the first time in a very long time, she wished for her Uncle. Who, while being disappointed and disapproving of her situation, would have accompanied her. Looking stern and strict, never comforting her but just being there for her.

She didn't want to be alone.

And so, she turned to the only person she could ask. A co-worker who had three children already.

"I didn't know you were in a relationship" Julia said looking surprised after she spat out her tea. "I mean you never spoke of a guy..."

"It was a very brief fling" Sally half-lied. It wasn't a fling but six months wasn't that long for a relationship. "He's gone out to sea now...and I just don't know what to do...i feel so useless, Julia please...just come with me for this one scan"

"Don't worry Sal, I'll help you out. I got some pregnancy books and name books from when I was first pregnant. I'll give them to you tomorrow when we go for the scan"

Sally smiled properly for the first time in weeks. "Thank you Julia"

"No problem, but you're not getting out that easily. Who, when, and how good was he in bed?"

"Julia!" Sally cried out, scandalised and blushing brightly.

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The scan had gone very easily. Sally had brought a scrapbook on her way back home and stuck the scan in on the first page. She could barely make out where the baby started and ended but she felt a burst of pride as she stared at her baby's first photo. The heartbeat was healthy and according to the doctor there was nothing wrong so far.

After reading the books Julia provided, Sally found saving money easier as she gave up her caffeine and certain foods that would unsettle the baby. She stuck to drinking just tap water and buying food cheap from the market. She had enough to buy a cot and high chair second hand. She's buy the clothes new since there was no way she'd put her baby in dirty used clothes. She wanted its first set of clothes to be clean and fresh. A good start in the big scary world.

"You can have my old baby stuff" Julia said as she sniffed at the cots in the charity shop. Some were broken, a bar missing or no mattress. "You can't put your little babe in this flea ridden stuff. I keep mine in good quality in case I end up pregnant again. The cot is almost good as new and the highchair and pram"

"Thank you so much" Sally said gratefully. "You've been such a wonderful help"

"Sally, you're a young girl and you need someone looking out for you" Julia said giving Sally a comforting hug. "That young man of yours should be paying support. If I could get my hands on him I would hang him upside down and shake him so hard that even his grandparent's money would be falling out of his pockets"

Sally giggled at the mental image of Julia, mother of three and shop girl, shaking the great god of the sea. "There's nothing he can do. He doesn't have much money either" Sally lied. She was sure Poseidon is extremely wealthy considering his palace but she wasn't going to depend on him and get him into trouble with his brothers. With his son. "I'll get through this Julia"

"Honey, no offense, but this isn't just for nine months. This is for life. You got this baby's education and future to worry about. You got to feed him and take care of his health; you got his birthday and Christmases to worry about. Kids don't understand money troubles. They're always wanting something new"

"I know" Sally mumbled. It hadn't been that long since she was a child herself. "But I will get through this and I'll raise my baby to be a good strong person

Julia gave Sally an assessing look. One her teachers used to give during an oral exam. "I think you could" she said eventually. "But still you need as much money and help you can get. I still have my maternity clothes. You can have those too"

Sally gave her another grateful smile. "Thank you"

"No problem girl, have you thought of parenting classes? You're going to need to know how to change a nappy and what not"

"I'll be fine. I did a fair amount of babysitting when I was in High School" Sally said confidently. She knew how to take care of a baby when it came to nappy changing and bottle feeding. It was just the giving birth, naming and being that sole person that the baby will rely on for the rest of its life that scared her.

Julia snorted. "Trust me honey, babysitting is not being a mother. Being a mother is the hardest job you'll ever get in your life"

Sally was becoming very aware of that.

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A few more months passed. Sally was finally over her morning sickness and just had her second scan. She could see parts of the baby more clearly in this one. The shape of its head and the curves of its arms and legs were very clear. Every morning she looked at the scans before getting ready for the day. Every evening she spoke to her belly and told it stories and sang songs. Much to Julia's displeasure though, Sally took on a second job to earn a little more cash to keep her and the baby comfortable.

"By the time you're finished you'll be more tired and ill! You'll harm the baby if you keep this up and on top of that you end up walking home alone in the dark. It's not safe!"

Sally argued that it was summer now and it was lighter in the evenings now. She also pointed out to Julia that her jobs don't require a heavy load of work. She stood behind the till in the sweet shop or did some paperwork and she stood behind the counter in the library. It was only for a few more months.

"I need to afford child day-care for when I go back to work" had been her last argument which had shut Julia up completely.

So it was fairly dark and very late at night when she walked home. She was tired and rather hungry since she hadn't eaten for over six hours. The baby had kicked in complaint. She decided to go down a short cut through a few backstreets to save her time once she had gotten off the subway. None of the backstreets were pleasant; there were sounds of homeless and teenagers mucking about. There were very little street light and the darkness was starting to spook her a little.

She could hear footsteps behind her.

She fastened her pace.

They quickened too.

They were very heavy footsteps.

A large hand grabbed hold of her arm and turned her round.

She let out a little shriek. He was huge. Very tall and not that good looking. One large eye blinking at her as he slowly grinned. He was missing a few teeth.

"You have a little Godling in your tummy" he said in a deep slow voice. "A very powerful Godling"

"Please..." she whispered. "I just want to go home"

"I want to play with the Godling" the Cyclopes said. "I want to play! No one ever plays!"

"Cyclopes" a cold voice said from their right. "Let the girl go" Sally felt relief burning up within her. He looked young and boyish but she knew he was thousands of years old. "If you let her go, I'll take you to the arcade and buy you dinner"

"You will?" the Cyclopes said looking excited and eager.

The boy nodded. "Yes. Now let the girl go and walk ahead. I'll be with you in two minutes. I promise on Styx"

"Ok"

Sally almost fell on the floor when the Cyclopes suddenly let her go. He eagerly ran ahead, practically skipping down the street like a little boy.

"Cyclopes. Not the brightest of monsters but very endearing. They get left on the streets by their parents and therefore very eager to find someone to love and play with them" he turned to look at her. His eyes were still cold but there was concern in there. "Sally, my father has been watching over you and he is most displeased with your second job. You put yourself and the baby in danger with this recklessness"

"I know" Sally whispered. For the first time in a long time she felt rather ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry"

He held out a bag. "It's over two thousand dollars. It should pay for the first year of childcare. My father sends his love and wishes to be with you"

"Thank you Triton" Sally whispered accepting the bag. She knew she had no choice but to accept it. If monsters on the street can smell the baby inside of her then she should stay inside during the nights. "Tell your father, thank you as well" she didn't ask for him to send her love. She didn't think it would be an enjoyable task for him and it wouldn't make her anymore likable to him than she already was.

"You shouldn't be needing this at all" Triton snarled. "If he just left you alone, didn't touch you, then you would be safe. You're in this mess because he couldn't keep his hands to himself"

Bravely she put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame your father for this" she said firmly but gently. "It takes two to tango. Again, thank you Triton"

"I'll walk you home" he said stiffly. "Hades knows what's lurking in the dark here"

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It was early September when her waters broke. Chaos began as she struggled to get herself into hospital. Julia finally met her two hours later when she just got into the E and A room. The next few hours were a battle as she went through the worst pain she had ever felt. Worse than all the hurt when her parents died and worse than any other physical pain she had felt.

She screamed. She cried. She begged for some sort of saviour to rescue her from this pain and then she cursed Poseidon with so many swear words she had shocked Julia. She had never been the one to swear before.

A loud cry broke through her screaming.

"It's a boy!" a nurse said cheerfully. "Congratulations Miss Jackson, you have a healthy bouncy boy"

"Oh thank god" Sally said collapsing back on the bed as Julia pressed a cold compress on her forehead. "Can I hold him?"

"Just a moment Miss Jackson. We're just cleaning him off" the nurse said as the baby continued to cry. "He's got a good set of lungs here. Probably wishing for his first meal and a cuddle with Mummy"

The next five minutes were the longest in Sally's life. She had always been patient but right now she had an impatient desire building in her that was longing to hold her little boy. They cleaned him up, weighed and measured him and wrapped him in a blanket before handing him back to her.

He stopped crying the moment he was in her arms. "There you go. He was missing his Mummy" the nurse cooed as Sally stared at her baby in awe.

He was so tiny. So delicate and small and fragile. And he was all hers.

"My little boy" she whispered. "My beautiful son, my strong brave little man"

His eyes opened slowly and her breath hitched as the greenest eyes caught hers.


	11. Chapter 11

Julia peered round the curtain and grinned when she found Sally reading. "Hello how's Mummy?" she said holding out a carrier bag and flowers.

"Julia!" Sally cried out happily. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, I just saw your little boy. He is a looker, you'll be beating girls with a stick to get him to do his homework" Julia passed the flowers to Sally and then opened her bag up. "Have you chosen a name yet?"

"Almost – oh Julia, you shouldn't have, it's too much"

"Nonsense, it's just a stuffed toy, a couple sleeping suits in different sizes and some chocolates for you" Julia said. "You'll find that babies grow very fast before you know it that tiny thing will be too big to sit on your lap"

"Just as long as he doesn't grow_ up_ too fast. I only just got him I don't want to see him off to college any time soon"

Julia laughed. "Don't worry; he'll always be your baby. Trust me on that one" Sally smiled at the thought. "So, name" Julia said encouragingly.

"I haven't been able to pick one until now. I've been going through this book an-"

"Greek Myths? Sally, the poor kid will be picked on if you gave him any name like Zeus or Hermes"

"I wanted a demi-god name. A half-human son that had no suffering, so my baby will have good luck"

"Good luck with that, all I remember from history is everyone suffered a lot of bad luck in those days"

"Well I found one. Persius, son of Zeus. He didn't have any tragedy and it's a very nice name"

"You could shorten it to Percy. No one would tease him then"

"Percy Jackson" Sally murmured, "Percy Jackson"

"Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

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After Percy had been registered and Sally had been given the green light from the doctors, they settled back into her apartment with ease. The first couple weeks had been difficult as she thanked maternity leave that gave her time to nap when Percy did. But eventually she had gotten used to waking up in the middle of the night to feed or change his nappy. Sometimes he woke up for attention and while it was tiring Sally had found it her most favourite time as she cuddled him and murmured lullabies to him.

It was a quiet and calm night when he came. Percy had been asleep, she was listening to his deep breathing unable to get off straight to sleep for some reason, the moment he began to stir she was about to turn over and get up when Poseidon just appeared out of thin air and scooped Percy out of his cot. She froze and immediately deepened her breathing to look like she was asleep.

"Shh...Shh...We don't want to wake Mummy up now do we? She's been very tired pampering you" Poseidon sounded so warm and soft and loving. From the slits of her eye-lids she could see him bouncing Percy a little in his arms. The most loveliest and largest smile on his face. "You're very lucky Percy; you have a special mother who'll do anything for you. Now my mother, she just stood there while I got eaten. My darling brother was the special one. But that doesn't matter right now, what matters is that you got to appreciate your mother and love her as fully as you can. Got that little guy?"

Percy made a little gurgling sound and Sally could have sworn that Poseidon's smile got bigger.

"You're going to face many dangers Percy. No matter how hard you or your mother tries, you'll never escape the curse of being a half-blood. But I want you to know that no matter what monsters you battle, what troubles the Gods put you, or what emotional problems you encounter, I'll always love you"

Another little gurgle.

"I'll always keep an eye out for you and keep you protected in the best of my ability. I'm sure you'll have your doubts and there'll be times where you have no faith in me but I want you to know that I will try, no matter what" a deep breath. "Grow up to be a strong, fine young gentleman. Learn from your mistakes and be wise. Love and fight to keep it, and never stop fighting for those you love until your last breath. That's the only advice I can give you really"

He bent his head down and kissed Percy's forehead before stroking the little tufts of black hair. "Go to sleep Percy and be good for your mother" he then placed Percy back into his cot and tucked him in.

He turned to face Sally and she quickly closed her eyes as she heard his light footsteps come closer to her.

He tucked back a strand of her hair and pressed his lips gently on her temple. Her breath hitched for a moment as his warm breath rolled against her ear. "Take care Sally"

And then he disappeared leaving the scent of the ocean filling her room.

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She hated not being there for Percy. She had to work to pay the rent and to buy food, so therefore Percy was stuck in day care for most of the day. She tried to make up for it. Spent her days off devoting every moment to him and every night tending to his needs without complaint.

She adored him. Loved him more than anything, even more than Poseidon, and treasured this little slip of life more than any jewel. She cherished every new first, first lifting head up, first rolling over, first sitting up, first crawl, first interest in toys, first solid food. Every moment her baby got bigger and more alive she cherished it.

She loved cuddling him, having him pull her hair in interest, his baby giggles and his games in the bath. She's started to keep her most raggedy clothes for bath time since Percy had such a bad habit of making tidal waves in his bath. She loved his attempts to (what she thinks) say I love you after she says it. It comes out all gurgled and wrong and he then snuggles in closer to her.

It was pure bliss.

So she was making her way to the day care centre as quickly as possible so she could have him in her arms again. One of the carers gave her a cheerful smile and directed her to the cot Percy was napping in. she bent down and pulled the blanket off...

And screamed at the sight of a snake in his cot, coiling around him as he slept peacefully.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: a very belated birthday present to my baby brother Michael who turned fifteen before Christmas. **

She ran past him holding his little brother tightly while crying. He's objective had been simply to watch from afar to see Sally and Percy home safe. He did not expect her to be so distraught or so fast, it took him a while just to catch up with her since she was two blocks away when it actually registered in his mind that it was Sally that ran past him.

"Sally, what happened?" he asked once he grabbed hold of her shoulders and made her face him. "Is Percy all right?"

She looked up at him with wide green eyes filled with tears. It was enough to break his heart, to make things worse Percy looked up at him with a similar look. His Dad was so doomed; they'll so have him wrapped round their little fingers.

"T-t-there was a sn-sn-snake in his cot!" Sally choked out with a shudder. Tears ran down her face and she tightened her grip on Percy. She couldn't stop shaking. "I-I-in his cot!" she repeated.

"Come on, I'll buy you a coffee," Triton said as he gently pulled her to the nearest diner.

It took a sugary coffee and a muffin that Triton practically shoved down Sally's throat (she's gotten too skinny for someone who had been pregnant five months ago and he didn't like it) until Sally had calmed down and stopped shivering. During that time Triton had a chance to hold his latest baby brother who had fallen asleep content that he was safe.

"Will this always happen?" Sally asked. "Will these creatures always find him? Will he ever be safe?"

"It's his scent; it stinks of power and the Gods. You really need to marry the most humanly human you can find and it should cover the scent up fine."

Sally shook her head. "I...I don't want to think about other men," she said half shy and half just plain uncomfortable. "It's difficult to not think about your father...I don't think I can ever get over him easily...I don't think any human can get over any God."

Triton felt just as uncomfortable. It's awkward enough to talk about the subject of relationships with a woman that you barely know but it's even more awkward that you're discussing relationships with your father with said woman who is highly possibly your own mother. It's a good thing he only looks like a teenager or he would have never reached adult hood due to embarrassment induced death.

"That's not true," he said quietly. "I know many humans that have gotten over their God lover. Some who had relationships with Athena never had anything sexual with her and therefore moves on easier. Some don't get over it at all, that's true too. But you all don't seem to think about the affect you have on us."

"What do you mean?"

"There was this human. Similar to you, she could see through the Mist but she wasn't a possible reincarnation of a goddess. Her name was May you see, and she had a relationship with Hermes, had a little boy just like you and then she offered herself to be an Oracle...she went insane. Hermes may have other relations with other women but he had never gotten over May."

"Oh..."

"The hurt is on both sides Sally. It's not just the humans that get hurt."

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It was obviously going to be a slow process for Sally to move on from his father. Triton watched over both her and Percy – mostly Percy who was left alone quite often – over the next few years. Apart from Percy growing into a small chubby toddler with hyperactive tendencies, there was little change in the Jackson household. Sally was forever skinny, overprotective, loving, heartbroken mother who worked too hard and Percy always got into some sort of danger that Triton had to rescue him from. Percy had got to stop befriending the wrong type of Cyclopes'; Triton was coming close to being bankrupt with the amount of times he had to bribe them to get lost.

The only safe place for Percy these days is Montauk.

That is when Triton gets his rest. Sally had taken a few days of work and hired a cabin as she did before she met Poseidon and the water spirits had taken to watching Percy make sandcastles and dig holes. Which meant Triton could go back to the palace and get some proper sleep, yes hallelujah!

"I'm not an idiot you know."

"Could have fooled me," Triton said not even looking at his father. He got a smack around the head for his cheek. "Ouch!"

"You've rarely been around to fulfil your duties. I've done that plenty of times a-"

"I know Father; look at the state of our kingdom because of tha- ouch!"

"Stop cheeking me! As I was going to say I've been there, done that and got more than a t-shirt to prove it. So what's the girl's name?"

"Sally Jackson."

Never before had Triton seen his father so furious. The water around him bubbled and boiled, his eyes flashed with power and anger that sort of vaguely reminded him of laser beams he's seen on TV and his whole body shook. "What?" he hissed out.

"Nothing is going on Father!" Triton half squeaked, quite frankly terrified of his father right at this moment, "I was just keeping an eye on her and Percy. He keeps getting bothered by monsters!"

The water stopped bubbling but it was still very hot and Triton could feel that his skin was scalded and burnt. Poseidon, however, looked rather relaxed and smiled warmly at his son. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

"I wasn't exactly given the chance," Triton mumbled. "Percy is on Montauk right now. You could go up there and take a peek. He's grown a lot since you last seen him."

The moment Poseidon disappeared Triton ran into his room, locked the door and threw himself into bed before anything could dare try and stop him from sleeping.

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He was adorable!

His little boy just looked adorable! The water spirits were still watching and whispering and giggling but he had to agree with them. This was the most adorable child he produced since Triton. Zeus, let's hope that this one doesn't get Triton's cheek!

He decided right then and there to give his little boy a gift. A little keepsake of this holiday. He summoned a blue shell and etched in Percy's initials before passing it to a water spirit. He watched with amusement as Percy let out a squeal of delight and ran on his small little legs to Sally with the shell in hand.

"Look Mummy! Look!"

The smile and laugh from Sally was also worth it.


	13. Chapter 13

"I am so very sorry Mrs Jackson," the very badly dressed, almost bald, headmaster said. "But we're still paying for the damages from the cannon incident and our budget cannot afford a dyslexic and ADHD student. He is the only one we have and usually we would welcome him but...I'm afraid it would be advisable to look for another school for him."

"Of course," Sally whispered. The past few years are becoming difficult, not only had she struggled to get Percy childcare before he was school age but she was now struggling to find the perfect school for her little boy. "Thank you for giving him this year," she said louder before leaving.

When she left the office Percy looked up eagerly. His sweet little face all lit up with anticipation, she shook her head and his face immediately fell, the sparkle in his eyes died and his mouth literally drooped into a frown. "I'm sorry Mummy," he mumbled.

Sally dropped down to his level and grabbed hold of his shoulders. "Don't be, it's not your fault Percy."

"But-"

"It's not your fault!" she said louder, her grip on his shoulders tightened. "You are the most amazingly sweet little boy in the whole world and none of this is your fault. We'll find you a new school and it'll be better than this and you'll prove the world how amazing you are."

"Yes Mummy," he mumbled as a bright blush stained his chubby cheeks.

But beneath that babyish face and pink embarrassed cheeks there was a steely resolution in his eyes that no child should had. Right there and then she just knew her baby was going to make her proud because he wanted to make her proud. He wanted to make her proud because he loved her just as much as she loved him.

It made her want to cry.

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It was the first week of the summer holidays and while his mother was working Percy was at a special summer club thing. It was in a local hall that was rented out and filled with toys and activities to keep the children occupied. The carers were very young and in desperate need for money due to their student status. Sally had interrogated them thoroughly and knew her child would be occupied and well looked after which is what she needed.

What she didn't know was many people advertised almost anything and everything under the sun there. It took a lot of time but in between bathroom breaks Percy stood there attempting to read a notice that caught his eye.

"What are you reading, Percy?" one of the students asked him.

"That," Percy said pointing to the sign, "but I can't read it right."

"Properly," the student corrected him gently, "it says 'Have Trouble Reading? In Need of Tutoring? Then call Paul Blofis, $10 an hour.' Nothing very interesting, Percy, now come along we're having a game of baseball outside today."

A little later when Sally came by to pick up Percy, she was dragged over to the sign, and Percy looked at her pleadingly. "I want to make you proud, Mummy," he said. There was very little she could deny her son. She was already denying him all the good toys and nice clothing and expensive days out because of low pay check but she couldn't deny him a good education, especially if he wanted it this much and you never know he might end up getting a scholarship to Yale or Harvard because of this man's tutoring.

So she phoned him.

It was difficult to arrange a meeting time since she had to work all hours of the day but they agreed on five o'clock every Saturday at a little cafe not so far away. She would sit on another table in clear view of them while he and Percy worked an hour on their own. She was asked to encourage Percy by doing a little homework and read with him one hour a night every day.

Paul Blofis was young, sweet, and very nice. Sally hoped he would be able to reach out to Percy and give him the support he needed.

She couldn't help but hope he was rather good looking as well. Just because she was mother didn't mean she was _dead _and if she was going to sit there for an hour she might as well have something gorgeous to look at.

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Of course everything had to go wrong.

Of course for the very first meeting she had to be in the bathroom the moment it turned sour.

Of course her poor darling little boy couldn't have just one single thing go right for him.

That stupid bloody demigod curse!

Paul Blofis was a young student looking for some work over the summer. He was charming, handsome, and made Sally aware just how young she still is. Percy was instantly smitten with him to because Paul knew guy stuff that Sally could never understand.

That and Paul had no problem with Percy mispronouncing his name and calling him Mr Blowfish.

"Just call me Paul, Percy, this isn't school," he said cheerfully. "In fact order a drink and relax we'll just be going through basics today and you can tell me everything you know already."

For the first half an hour they got on brilliantly. Percy's eyes only ever left Paul when Paul was pointing out a word to him from the book and Sally couldn't help think it was a good ten dollars well spent if Percy was learning and having fun at the same time.

She needed the bathroom and Paul seemed trustworthy enough for her to turn her back on them for a moment.

She was washing her hands when she heard it. The earth shattering scream of a waitress, a loud roar, Percy calling her name, and suddenly – as her hand shakily opened the door after fumbling over the lock – a cry, a little boy's cry.

"How could you?"

Paul was laying there on the floor with blood covering his handsome face and Percy stood there looking indignant and powerful and...not her little boy.

"He was my friend."

His deep sea green eyes were stormy and all the glasses were shaking, the coffee maker was shaking, anything with water in it was shaking.

Water spurted out everywhere and hit the monster before Percy. A strange, gnarled monster, made from twisted metal. The monster fizzled and popped as blue purple lights flashed, it collapsed and there was smoke coming out from the monsters head.

Percy fell to his knees and burst into tears.

Her mother instincts kicked in as she ran to her baby boy and cradled him into her arms.

Paul Blofis had died before anyone had even thought to call an ambulance.

The world would hear about this as a random shooting, a brave young man stepped in front of a frightened unnamed boy and saved the boy's life while losing his own in the process.

In reality one of the Hephaestus' failed creations had escaped and attacked, a brave young man tried to protect a little boy and died, the little boy killed the robotic monster by using powers unimaginable.

Powers that no one had seen since World War Two.

"It's all my fault," Percy sobbed into Sally's shoulder, "it's all my fault!"

"No it isn't baby, no it isn't," Sally murmured as she rubbed his back and nuzzled his hair.

Her baby was already beginning to lose his innocence.

He's only five, for god sake! He's only five!

Sally Jackson tucked her son into bed that night. Tearstained, exhausted, and filled with guilt, her baby son slept. She knew that while the Mist will take most of the memories away from him that guilt will still stay with him. She swore to never forget the name Paul Blofis, the man who gave his life for her son.

She then swore she would do whatever it takes to protect her son.

**Author's Note: sorry for taking so long to update. I want to thank my brother who helped me think up the monster for this scenario. Now the AU is really starting to kick in a bit, isn't it? But before you ask, yes Gabe is still going to be in this. Sorry. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: I know, I know, I haven't updated in seven months! Well don't worry I made a New Year's resolution to dedicate myself in finishing this fic by the end of the year. I have a vague plan of attack now and will start working on the next chapter later on this week. **

"Hey, beautiful."

Gabe Ugliano was a sleazy, slimy, smelly, scumbag who thought that Sally should fall at his feet every given moment. He was the worst man imaginable in the whole world and given any other choice Sally would tell him where to bugger off to and if he didn't take the hint she would smack him over the head with handbag. Unfortunately he was the foulest smelling human in the world, she can smell the human from a good ten feet away from him, and that was what would cover the scent of a demigod without any issue.

So she swallowed every disgusted, revolted, sickened feeling she had from the pit of her stomach in order to protect her sweet boy.

"Hello Gabe," she said through a fake smile.

"You look ravishing tonight," Gabe complimented her. She grimaced as she noticed he was staring down at her chest. "Very nice dress."

She felt so dirty and disgusting. The dress she wore was a cheap bargain she managed to get hold off in the Wal-Mart. It was clingy, revealing, and in any other circumstances would be rather classy but she felt nothing but cheap. She felt like some sort of tart as Gabe put his grubby hands all over her and gave her a sloppy wet kiss that made her insides shrivel up and turn to dust in such horror.

She tries to make it appear she was in love with this man. She uses every memory she has of Poseidon when she is with Gabe. Every loving look, every passion filled kiss, every gentle but firm touch, and how his words rolled off the tip of this tongue when he said the sweetest of sweet nothings. When she watches Gabe trying desperately to court her and how he interacts with Percy she replaces him with Poseidon in her mind. Where Gabe steps back and looks half terrified, half disgusted at Percy's attempt to befriend him she sees Poseidon taking Percy into his arms, and ruffling Percy's hair before play fighting with him and telling Percy how proud of him he is. Where Gabe grabs onto her bottom and gropes her chest and pants like a dog she thinks of how Poseidon would kiss her and kiss her and kiss her while his hands roamed gently around her body and he worshipped her.

As if he was the mortal and she was the goddess.

Gabe slings his arm round her and pulls her close as he practically shoves his tongue down her throat. She tries to think about how Poseidon would have cupped her face lovingly and kiss her softly when greeting her while she tries desperately to not gag. The stench of this man was making her ill.

Percy lets out a revolted noise causing Gabe to pull away and give Sally time to take several deep calming breaths.

"Shut it, kid, you'll want to do this one day when you're older," Gabe said nastily.

"I hope not," Percy mumbled.

"What did you say?" Gabe spat out. "Don't talk to me in that tone."

"Gabe," Sally said softly as she put a hand on his arm, "he's just a little boy. Percy doesn't mean to be rude he just doesn't understand expressions of love."

Oh she really wanted to throw up and throw Gabe out of her apartment so she could be spend the night playing games and watching cartoons with Percy before sending him to bed and trying to write her novel for a few hours before turning in herself. Instead she chided her son for his attitude and simpered like a good little girlfriend to Gabe.

She hated herself for that.

She despised how Gabe put her in a difficult position of appeasing him and siding with her son.

The man was a despicable excuse for a human being to pick fights with a seven year old.

"Of course babe," Gabe said losing his hard hate filled face for a softer sickly expression of what he thought was love. "Let's go, I have a reservation at a good steak house, tonight is going to be the best night of your life babe."

She doubted that but she gave Gabe what she hoped was an excited expression before rushing to Percy and hugging him tightly. "Be good for Jessica, there are cookies in the fridge and bedtime is at eight o'clock, no excuses," she said sternly before kissing Percy on the cheek.

"Mum, don't go," Percy whispered. "You don't have to be with that creep."

"It's complicated, sweetheart," Sally whispered, "when you're older you'll understand," she kissed him on the forehead and gave him an extra hug. "Be good," she said loudly before pulling away and uneasily joining Gabe's side.

As they headed towards the restaurant Sally thought back to the past two years. The summer had been a miserable experience as Sally desperately tried to cheer up Percy after Paul's death. A depressed six year old turned up to his new school and within six months Sally found herself desperately seeking another when Percy unexpectedly got expelled. The reason remained unclear to this day but Sally feared it was another monster attack. One day one of their shelves just snapped clean straight of the wall and Sally found that they were out of screws for her to fix it. She went to the nearest hardware store only to be ridiculed by Gabe who thought that since she was a woman she had no clue on how to do DIY.

Well she showed him as most single mothers on a low budget would. TV and the internet were the world's greatest inventions with their help shows and sites teaching women how to do these things.

Apparently she made an impression because when Percy somehow lost the plunger and blocked the toilet all in one day a month later Gabe asked her out.

Having never been on a date with someone since before Percy was born, being flattered by what seemed to be a sincere apology and compliment, and feeling a little sorry for Gabe since he wasn't the most attractive bloke and probably didn't receive a lot of female attention, Sally had said yes.

He had been great with Percy at first. He had taken them both out to the park for a picnic that Sally had prepared and played football with Gabe. Unfortunately Percy's ADHD kicked in at the wrong moments and instead of being enchanted by the sweet tiny boy, as everyone should in Sally's opinion, Gabe was disgusted and began to drop hints about putting Percy in a home for learning disabilities.

The only reason Sally hadn't told Gabe where to bugger off to was the protection he could offer to Percy. Minor attacks and mysterious events usually happened about three times a week. One day with Gabe and Percy was left untouched for two whole weeks. The more time spent with Gabe meant the less monsters and Sally would conceive Gabe's disgusting spawn if it meant Percy could have a lifetime without being attacked.

Ok the child being half hers probably meant that it wouldn't be a disgusting spawn but that was beside the point.

So she sat there with a fixed smile on her face as she pretended that Gabe was the only man for her as he ate like a pig. She listened to all the disgusting spew coming out of his mouth that was all sexist, racist and all other kinds of 'ist' you could think of and pretended he was God's gift to the world.

There was not a single God or Goddess in Olympia that would find this man a gift to the world. More likely a piece of dog poo on the bottom of their shoe or in Artemis' case more reason to hate men.

Just after desert she was shocked, horrified, and a little delighted when Gabe went down on one knee and pulled out a small box. The jewel on it was not likely to be a real diamond and was very small but the gesture was nice and she pretended to be beside herself with happiness at the sight of it.

"Sally Jackson," Gabe shouted causing the whole restaurant to look at them, "Will you do the honour of being my wife?"

She wanted to say no, slap him, shout abuse, and list all his flaws which would take her till Christmas to do.

She would like to say yes but on a long list of conditions starting with him treating Percy the way a good father should, along with no sex, and ending with him to stop scratching his backside in public.

Instead she had to be flattered, had to act like the silly woman he thinks she is, and had to make a big fuss about it before she excitedly breathed the one word that would seal her doom.

"Yes."

Percy better buy her bloody fantastic Mother Day gifts and birthday presents throughout his adult life.


	15. Chapter 15

"You're getting what?"

If the situation hadn't been so serious Sally would have giggled at her son's expression. He looked completely adorable in his shocked speechless expression, his mouth slightly open and his sea green eyes innocently wide.

"I'm getting married," Sally repeated herself.

"To Smelly Gabe?" Percy wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Her sentiments exactly although she wasn't going to tell him that. If they were going to have a safe, quiet, and peaceful life then Percy would need to learn to respect his new stepfather. That meant no name calling, no little jokes or pranks, and obeying any little order. Sally hopes if she could drill this into Percy before the wedding then there would be very little to worry about in the future.

However, Percy was Poseidon's son, and Poseidon is one of the most stubborn men she had ever met.

"Don't call him that, Percy," she scolded him, "Gabe is a good man. Not many men would be this accepting of another man's child."

"He isn't," Percy burst out, "he looks at me funny and is really mean sometimes. He has only ever been nice that one time when we first went out together. What if he makes you get rid of me when you're married."

Sally sat down on the floor and immediately pulled Percy onto her lap. He struggled against her for a couple seconds after all it wasn't cool to cuddle your mother these days but he was then very quick to snuggle up against her and bury his face into her chest (there had been a day it was her stomach, my god, he was growing far too fast for her liking). "I will throw Gabe out first if he so dared whispered the idea," she promised fiercely as she run her fingers through Percy's lovely black silk hair. "You're my baby and that means you come first. Not me, not some random person on the street, and especially not Gabe, ok?"

"Ok," Percy mumbled.

He still looked rather upset so with a smirk Sally pulled his t-shirt up and started blowing raspberries and tickling him. The gloominess disappeared immediately as the room was filled with giggles and squealing.

Sally nuzzled Percy's hair to hide a sad little sigh.

The days where Percy could be this easily cheered up were soon to be numbered and eventually the days where he will be safe would be gone completely.

This was why she had to marry Gabe, if only just to buy Percy some more time!

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They were at Montauk again. The smell of the fresh salty sea air and the sight of its magnificent cerulean blue waves crashing against the soft golden sand was enough to make Percy forget about the wedding. Just for a little while. It also gave her that one last week where it was just her and Percy. Now that Gabe was going to be a permanent fixture in their lives it meant there would be less time where just the two of them would talk quietly over dinner or cuddle on the sofa to watch a movie or go out to the park or for her to tell Percy a bedtime story. Gabe had no problem about her and Percy going away for the week it had meant that he spent one last week as a free man and besides she promised it would come out of their honeymoon money.

As if she really wanted to have a wedding night with the git let alone a whole honeymoon.

She sat there taking in the sun while absentmindedly running a hand through the soft fine grains of sand. She was supposed to be reading or working on her novel as 'me time' but the sight of Percy running in and out of the sea while laughing was enough to distract her. It was endearing to see her son playing with sea nymphs and making a sea palace out of sand. It was enough to make her forget about her own wedding.

Almost.

There is a large crash of waves, so noisy and so sudden, that she wonders if Poseidon can hear her very thoughts of marrying another man and is showing his displeasure. She looks up to find Percy face first on the sand, he had obviously been pushed by the wave, and she stood up immediately to see if he was all right only to find him laughing delightedly by the time she reached him.

"Let's get you dry and have some lunch," she decided once he stopped giggling.

"I am dry!" Percy cried out indignantly.

Sally laughed and went to run her fingers through his damp hair to make a point. However instead she felt his soft silky very much dry hair between her fingers. She ran her hand down his cheek to find the skin completely dry and soft as his hair. It must be part of his demigod powers it was the only conclusion she could come up with and she was very thankful it only seemed to appear now in the sea and not earlier in the bath.

She would have never been able to get Percy clean if that was the case.

"Well then, let's get some lunch and if you're very good I might get you blue ice cream later this afternoon," Sally said brushing the magical talent aside. She didn't want Percy to realise just exactly how special he is, not because she didn't want him to feel ashamed about his heritage but only because she wanted him to have a safe normal childhood for as long as possible. "And then we can go swimming together after an hour's rest if you like."

Percy nodded excitedly and allowed himself to be led back to the cabin where he spent the next ten minutes fidgeting while Sally made some sandwiches. He took a bite, chewed slowly, and remained very quiet.

Sally waited half amused and half tense usually this meant Percy had a very deep thought and wanted to ask some questions. It could be as silly as why isn't the sky green to a difficult emotional one like why don't I have a Dad?

"Mummy..."

"Yes Percy?"

"Where you married to Daddy?"

For the moment Sally briefly wondered what a wedding to Poseidon would be like. She imagined a very simple service on a beach as they were both dressed in light airy white clothing and pearls. She shook her head at the image and cleared her throat.

"No Percy, I was never married to your Daddy," she said.

Though the truth was, technically, she had been married to him. For centuries apparently but no matter how far she strained her mind she could never remember anything in her past life as a Goddess. Therefore she decided that she had never been married to Poseidon. It made life a lot easier.

"Why?"

"It was more of a summer romance than anything else Percy. He was gone before we really had a chance to think about marriage," Sally said struggling to explain, "I think he would have asked me, well I would like to think he would," he had asked her to spend all eternity with her that was close enough. "But he had to go out to sea and then he was lost."

"What if Daddy is found again but you marry Smelly Gabe?" Percy asked.

"Daddy won't be found Percy," Sally said gently but firmly. "He can't come back Percy so please don't pin your hopes on him coming back."

"But if Daddy came back would you still marry Smelly Gabe?"

Sally wasn't sure how to answer this one. She could tell the truth and risk a lot by telling her young son who didn't quite grasp the concept of secrets, or she could lie and begin to create distrust between the pair of them. It was obvious neither was a good choice.

So she chose the third option – not answer Percy at all.

"Eat your sandwich Percy."

"But-"

"Eat your sandwich Percy," she repeated more firmly.

They didn't get to go for a swim and ice cream that day. Not long after starting to eat her own sandwich the sea raged angrily and it was deemed to be safer if they spent the afternoon and evening curled up in bed telling stories and drinking hot chocolate.

She feared that Poseidon had become aware of her upcoming marriage she just hoped that he knew in her heart that she only ever loved him.

That night she dreamt about Poseidon all night long, some were true memories, some were made believe, and others were those hopeful possibilities of raising Percy together.


	16. Chapter 16

When they returned from their short holiday their lives instantly became unsettled. Gabe had decided he wanted to get the wedding over and done with and he also decided he should move in now so Percy and Sally could get used to 'obeying him'. Sally was therefore overwhelmed with not only her work but planning a wedding and looking after what was practically another child.

A selfish, stinking, sulking, middle aged child but a child nonetheless.

She is horrified at the added stinking laundry of grey foul smelling socks and matching pants. Percy gags and holds onto his nose tightly whenever she is doing the laundry near him. She had to deal with a rather hysterical little boy when he found a giant ball of Gabe's hair stuck in the plug one morning. Gabe had been less understanding and shouted some harsh words at them both before storming off to work. To sweeten him up she had to cook his favourite meal...

Let's just say there's a reason why he smells so terribly.

The next few weeks were so busy as she rushed to the town hall in her lunch break to pick up the forms and rush back to do her afternoon shift without having eaten anything. She would then fill the forms in between cooking, cleaning, and sorting Percy out with a bedtime story and cuddle, and miss her lunch the next day only to find out she missed something out or put the wrong information in the wrong spot. It took her five tries before she secured a marriage licence and a date. She then spent the next few lunch breaks hunting through the bargain shops for something respectable for the civil ceremony. Her budget was more limited than normal since her holiday with Percy was taken out of her clothing allowance as well as the honeymoon.

On top of that she had to book a table in a steak house restaurant for the reception which included the obvious three people family plus Gabe's mother, Gabe's friends, and Julia who took the whole day off work as well.

The day before the ceremony Sally was rushing through a quick food shop. While Gabe was going to celebrate his last night of freedom with booze, card games, and most likely strippers, Sally was going to mourn her last night of freedom with a pint of Ben and Jerry's and a long cuddle with Percy while they watched Disney films.

Yes she knows how sad that sounds.

She was just about to turn on her street when a voice called her name. She knew this voice and suppressed a moan. It wasn't that she didn't like her ex-lover's eldest son it was just that she knew what he was going to say and she really didn't want to talk about it.

"Sally," Triton said as he stepped beside her, "Sally don't marry him."

"I have to."

"No you don't." Triton shook his head. "You can send Percy to Camp Half Blood, you can use the pearl and bring him to the Sea Palace and live with us, or if you really don't want to be part of our world you can surely marry a better man for love who will love Percy as his own."

"I can't Triton, I can't" Sally said desperately as she felt tears well up in her eyes. "He stinks. He stinks so badly, so strongly, that the paint on my walls are peeling off. That scent is bound to drive any monster that comes from the Underworld back to the very pits of it. This is the best way to protect Percy, I have no choice."

"There is always a choice."

"One day you will have a child yourself if you haven't had one already and you will realise how important it is to keep that child near you as often as possible and which way is the best way to protect that child," Sally said wisely, "Percy's best chance is with me and the best protection I can offer him is the foul smell of Gabe Ugliano."

Triton frowned. He had never had a child himself, hoards of siblings that he had set out to protect behind the scenes, but never a child he had sired himself. He had kissed millions of women and occasionally men but he could never bring himself to do the act. It was sad that he was thousands and thousands years old virgin but then again so was Athena, Artemis, and Hestia and he would love to see someone make a jab at them for their virginity. His lack of interest in sexual intercourse was most likely due to his desire to be the opposite of his father and to make his mother proud. He wanted to marry and truly mean his vows whenever that day comes.

He remembered his mother who looked similar to Sally and was just as protective over him as she was over Percy. However she had the opportunity, unlike Sally, to fully exploit this over protectiveness into a fearsome powerful battle like fury. The memory of his mother dressed in full armour spearing a shark with his father's trident in order to protect him was the clearest memory of his childhood.

He couldn't find an argument against Sally's cool, tragic, and terrifying logic. He hated the idea of her having to subject herself to this torture. The man she was to marry wasn't even worth to be the scum beneath Triton's shoe. While Sally was an equal to the old Queens with her grace, intelligence, manners, and sense of honour and justice. She had almost become a mother to him. Well not quite, he could not fully bring himself to believe in her actually being his mother but he could not help but love her a little bit like he loved his mother.

She was a loving tender woman with a fierce streak that rivalled a lioness just like his mother was.

Only she was just weaker, prone to hysteria, and far too human for his liking.

He really liked Percy though, it had been a long time since he had a sibling that wasn't a Cyclopes and he missed the playful, energetic, and sheer intelligence of a half human sibling.

He wanted the best for both of them and while he was certain it wasn't with Gabe Ugliano he wasn't sure if it was with him and his father either.

"If you ever need to escape from him-"

"I know who to ask for help," Sally finished with a warm sad smile. "I know. My friend Julia said the exact same thing. She doesn't like Gabe either. I have to go, I am sure Gabe wishes to leave as soon as possible for his Stag do and I'm pretty certain my Ben and Jerry's is melting and you don't want that to happen."

Triton let out a quiet, short, and slightly bitter laugh as he watched the woman who was the mother to his only human sibling walk down the street.

It felt oddly like he was letting her walk to her death.


	17. Chapter 17

The water was atrocious. And the world was in disaster. There was a horrific tsunami that devastated part of Asia, followed by several dams breaking, two terrifying earthquakes, and severe flooding throughout the world.

The mortals were calling it part of Global Warming.

Athena called it Poseidon is having a childish hissy fit and called him on it the moment he stepped foot in Olympia.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"I beg your pardon?" he replied coolly.

"The earthquakes, the dams, the flooding, the tsunami, what in Hades are you doing, trying to end the world?"

"I don't think this is your business, Athena."

"Look, seaweed brain, whatever has your panties in the twist (has the phrase goes) is not worth destroying the world over," Athena took a very deep breath, she wanted to slap him and scream insults at him, but she must keep her composure. Everything about her uncle irritated her since that time he defiled her temple. It was petty and childish but pride had always been one of her fatal flaws. "Control yourself and act the dignified God you claim to be."

He turned to look at her properly and it took all her self control not to shudder or show a sign of fear. It had been at least two centuries since she had seen Poseidon's sea coloured eyes turn icy blue with a thunderous expression that made her father's fury seem like a child's tantrum to match.

"Just because you're a frigid bitch doesn't mean the rest of us are without emotions," he said icily. "You are so high and mighty that you forgot what it feels to crave affection and love. You merely think of your child once and then you forget about them. You don't even care about that little girl of yours, do you? I heard she was found by Zeus' daughter in her night clothes wielding a hammer and you never once gave thought about how she ended up in that situation or how she feels now that one of her friends' is a tree, have you? Don't criticise me Athena when you can't even feel emotions."

He then stormed off leaving her behind in a state of shock.

It was not just that his anger had terrified but the fact his words actually affected her.

She felt a stray tear run down her face.

She was even more shocked when she felt Aphrodite's loving arms wrap round her and comfort her.

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Triton kicked a nearby bin angrily.

He had spent a nauseating hour in the back of a room watching Sally pledge herself to love, honour, obey, and cherish a man who would be considered nothing but a greasy piece of rubbish polluting the sea by all. He watched her pale face that looked so sickly underneath her carefully neutral done make up as she quietly, solemnly, said those doomed words 'I do'. Her lovely eyes looked bleak and she looked smothered as that pathetic excuse of a man pulled her into his arms and slobbered all over her.

Then there was Percy who kept biting his lip throughout the service and even opened his mouth when the official asked if there was any reason for the marriage to not happen but the hand of some mortal on his shoulder kept him quiet. The poor little boy looked horrified and revolted at his new stepfather pawing away at his much beloved mother. The small crowd around the mother and son were cheerful and loud while the two stood there solemn and silent as several photos were taken.

Sally's fake smile didn't reach her eyes and Percy didn't even bother to smile, he just clung desperately to his mother's side and hid his face behind her dress.

Triton didn't know what to do. He couldn't interfere directly, he couldn't take Sally and Percy home with him without Zeus and the others finding out, and he couldn't talk Sally into running away, not with her so determined to use Gabe's stinking humanity (which wasn't very human by the way) as a shield for Percy.

He could find a way to make it easier for them. Ensure Percy doesn't switch schools so regularly and that Sally has a slightly easier time with money...he could find them friends or a place for an hour or two of peace away from that pathetic excuse...

But it didn't feel right.

He stormed through the alleyways of New York trying to vent out his anger. He couldn't return home this angry without his people questioning it and you never know if one of his aunts or uncles or even cousins would get wind of this and try to coax information out of him.

"Please Daddy, I pray to you," a voice whispered through the winds, "find me a friend that will protect me and make me happy. Save me from this nasty place."

Triton followed the pray that was filled with the scent of McDonalds leftovers to find a small (for its species) Cyclops curled up in the corner by a fire lit in a can. It wore rugged clothes that were very thin and had tears running down its face.

Tears falling from his one sea green eye.

A sibling.

"Brother!" it cried out cheerfully. Recognising Triton instantly as they always do. "Have you come to save Tyson?"

Ah, it was his brother.

"Not quite little brother," Triton said with a sad smile. You can never save them, they have to learn how to survive on their own but you can help just a little bit. "But I can lead you to someone who can. Another brother who needs friend."

"Tyson gets another brother and a friend?" Tyson's eye looked wide and huge in awe.

Triton smiled a small warmer smile. "Yes, you will," he held his hand out to the Cyclops. "Come with me and I will tell you everything."

Tyson took his hand.

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Percy was, for once, relieved to be back in school.

He was practically locked up in his apartment with Smelly Gabe all summer. During the day it was all right because his was at a summer day camp but in the evening he was stuck in a stinking room with the foulest man in the world. He ate with his mouth open, and patted his Mum's bum, he kept kissing his Mum as well right there in front of him and then he'll turn and smirk at Percy as if he was rubbing it in Percy's face, and what's worse was at night there was some horrible noises coming out of their bedroom. He had to bury his head under the pillow to ignore it.

The pillow didn't help block out the smell though.

He sat on his own in a new classroom surrounded by new people and silently hoping he'll make a friend this year and not get expelled.

The teacher came in with a tall boy. The teacher was a friendly looking woman with a nice smile but Percy learnt long ago not all teachers are nice as they look.

"Class this is Tyson, say hello everyone."

The class all mumbled a gloomy hello while Tyson beamed at them and gave them an enthusiastic wave. "Hello class!" he shouted.

The teacher winced at the loud noise. "Now Tyson why don't you sit next to Percy over there, Percy is also new to the school having joined only before the summer."

Tyson practically bounced his way to Percy and threw himself down on his chair. "Hello Percy!"

Percy couldn't help but smile back. "Hello Tyson," he replied.

"Percy is Tyson's friend?"

Percy's smile widened. "Sure," he said.

"Yay!"

Percy was suddenly swept in a bone-crushing hug from this strange very childish boy and yet he couldn't help but return the hug. There was something about Tyson that was familiar and comforting all at the same time.

Suddenly life just felt a little better now Tyson was in it.


	18. Chapter 18

Things got harder the older Percy got.

Sally had learnt all the tricks into coping with Gabe. She did everything he asked while rebelled in a passive-aggressive manner, cooking blue foods and keeping her own surname had been the most obvious. She kept lavender in her pillow to lessen the stink in the bed, she avoided as best as she could to not feed Gabe food that could affect his Body Oder and managed almost successfully to keep Percy and herself out of his way when he was in a foul mood.

Percy, now nearer a teenager than a child, was increasingly prideful, easily angered, and cheeky. He was certainly rather over-defensive of his own mother which made Sally flushes with pride and love for her only child. However this had increasingly made him a target of Gabe's anger and Sally is finding she has to move more and more quickly to intervene before Gabe actually lands a hand on her son.

She grimaces when Percy's deep green eyes watch her carefully as she hides her bruises and split lips and black eyes the next morning. She is careful not to wince when she moves and to keep a cheerful attitude throughout the morning until her son was safely behind the school gates and then she puts the fake dazzling smile back on when he comes home six hours later right until she is in bed and she tries desperately to keep her tears back as she buries her face into her lavender scented pillow.

She thanks the Gods for sending Tyson to her son.

Percy's sad face would cheer up instantly when Tyson either appears before him or is talked about by Sally. He doesn't have many friends and the ones he did have were quick to forget him when something terrible happened. Tyson, however, would always stay by Percy's side, comforting him, making him laugh, and seeking protection from Percy as well. Whenever Percy got expelled (twice in the last three years) and was sent to a new school Tyson would always magically appear the very next day to sit next to Percy in class.

She suspected one of the Gods, more likely her ex lover, had something to do with this and often burned food to thank them.

Tyson was such a sweet boy. A very cheerful and innocent boy considering the life he had led. Her clear sight allowed her to see the mist and she could see the one sole green eye blinking up at her during his shy moments. She remembered what Triton had told her about the life Cyclops lead and knew that Tyson desperately craved someone to love him and take care of him. It made it all the easier to have the tall boy in her home and feed him alongside Percy, she only wished she could let the boy live with them as well but Gabe would not hear of it.

At his newest school Percy had made another new friend and Sally couldn't help but half laugh, half worry at the situation he was in.

Grover was a lovely boy, if a little too nervous, but he was also a Satyr, and Satyrs and Cyclopes did not get on well together. Grover moaned whenever Tyson got to close to him and Tyson would jump in fear whenever Grover entered the room. They both complained about the smell of the other and Percy being the oblivious child he should be pointed out that neither smelt as bad as Gabe and they should stop complaining.

The amusing scenario continued for a while and then suddenly everything had changed.

It all suddenly got worse.

She should have known after all why else would a Satyr be in the same school as her son?

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It started with Percy being expelled again.

She wasn't quite sure why her son was expelled this time. It had happened so often that the reasons have all merged into one big headache and there were times that she felt her son had only been expelled because he was different. Many teachers didn't hesitate to show their dislike of her son at Parents' Evening and she always felt some of the excuses were rather bad.

Anyway she couldn't afford childcare until the summer and had made a pact with Percy that he could stay in the apartment while she and Gabe was at work (no answering the door or phone, no inviting friends round, no leaving the apartment, no eating anything other than what she left out, no agitating Gabe, and no bad behaviour, oh and please try to do some work in the class books I brought you) and felt she could trust him to stick to it though she feared constantly that a monster would find him unguarded and attack him.

Percy didn't like being locked up and within two weeks became agitated and temperamental, he was bored and lonely, and Gabe was taunting him. So Percy spoiling for a fight as any eleven year old child would back-chatted and insulted Gabe each chance he was given.

She knew Gabe would erupt in a bad temper but she never once thought he would take it out on her child.

It was mid-June when it had happened. She will never know what set Gabe off, it could have been anything from a bad day at work to simply because someone bumped into him on his way home. Either way she came home five minutes later than usual and was almost too late.

He was screaming, swearing, and storming about as if he was a rhino or something. He kicked something on the floor, hard and the thing rolled over.

Percy, covered in blood, lying there very still. A glance at the coffee table told her everything she needed to know, her son said something, Gabe argued with him, he argued back, Gabe smacked him one, a hit so hard that it sent Percy flying into the coffee table where he hit his head hard and knocked himself unconscious.

Her baby could be bleeding to death right this second and Gabe was too busy shouting himself hoarse and kicking her son's ribs to notice. Let alone care.

She felt numb.

Horrified.

Terrified.

Angry.

More than angry, she was furious.

She was blinded by her fury.

She let out a screech of fury and dropped her bag on the floor as she flew at him with her nails as if they were claws or something. She scratched and kicked and tried to bite him for daring to touch her child.

But he was stronger. He was a natural fighter. And he was quick to defend himself.

He punched her hard and his hands were suddenly tight round her throat as he strangled the life out of her.

_Poseidon have mercy on my soul, _she thought choking on her last few breathes, _save Percy if you can't save me, please. _

The door slammed open and suddenly Gabe was pulled off of her. She slumped down on the floor, her world slowly turning to black.

Her last clear memory and thought was on this one tall child with his sole green eye blinking tears back as he held her to his chest.

"Don't die Percy's Mummy, you can't die, Percy needs you, I need you, Daddy needs you, don't die Percy's Mummy," he wept.

_Oh Tyson, _she thought, _if only..._

The world goes black and she knows no more.

This was the last day Sally Jackson breathed her last breathe.

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Tyson felt something build up in him that could be courage as well as anger.

He had always wanted to be brave like Percy, strong like Percy, outgoing like Percy, and best of all a fighter like Percy. Instead he was a coward who tried to hide from a Satyr behind Percy every time he had the chance.

But today had been different and he wished it hadn't been.

He had finished school for the summer and hurried quickly over to Percy's hoping to get to play with Percy and eat Percy's Mummy's cooking. He loved Percy's Mummy she was warm, cuddly, and nice, she smelt nice like cookies and hugged him almost as much as she hugged Percy. He hoped his real Mummy was just as nice as Percy's Mummy. He was shocked and scared when he saw Percy's Smelly Fake Daddy strangle Percy's Mummy.

He saw Percy lying there on the floor covered in blood and anger suddenly raged through him.

He grabbed Percy's Smelly Fake Daddy off of Percy's Mummy and threw him into the wall. He held Percy's Mummy for a while when suddenly Goat Boy appeared.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

"Tyson did nothing, it was Percy's Smelly Fake Daddy," Tyson snapped. "Help Percy's Mummy. Please Goat-Boy help her."

Goat Boy nibbled his lip nervously and let out a grating noise before he rushed over to Percy and picked him up. "We have to get to Camp Half-Blood, if I Iris-Message them they'll let down the wards for you and Mrs Jackson. We can get them help there."

"Too Far!" Tyson wailed.

"Chiron is waiting for me downstairs, I saw you running and thought – never mind, point is the transport has a magical touch we'll be there in no time if we move quickly now."

Tyson nodded and obeyed the Goat Boy. He didn't like Goat Boy, he smelt weird, acted weird, and was always looking at him with a mean look. But if Goat Boy was right and helped save Percy's and Percy's Mummy's life then Tyson will always respect Goat Boy.

He just hoped Percy and Percy's Mummy will be all right.


	19. Chapter 19

The campers couldn't resist peering into the Infirmary. It was such a shock for Chiron to invite a Cyclops and a Mortal into the camp boarders. It was an even more shock when they realised the Mortal was an unconscious near death mother whose son was also unconscious. The camp was filled with excitement and rumours, immediately it had been decided by Aphrodite's cabin that a monster must attacked the mother and son pair and the mother was violently knocked away when she was trying to protect her only child who (being a weak little thing) was also instantly harmed and the Cyclops that has an obvious emotional attachment to the pair went to their rescue and called for help which of course Grover and Chiron on their way home had found them and brought them back. Mr D didn't like any of this and told them all to shut up and bugger off but then it wasn't unusual Mr D didn't like anything at all and always told them to shut up and bugger off.

The Cyclops from the rumours could be seen sat outside weeping while Grover was trying to comfort him which was a weird sight for them all to see.

Connor and Travis Stroll managed to get a look at the Mortal and told them that she was a very pretty woman.

"She looks like Snow White," Connor said, "deadly pale and dark hair."

"I think the Demi-God is definitely her son, I heard Chiron tell Mr D the stepfather was abusive," Travis added.

There was a shudder throughout the camp. Every child here had suffered some sort of neglect or fear or abuse from their own parents. Whether it was their birth mother or father or that evil step relative you hear about in fairytales it had always been one of the two or even both in some extreme cases.

The muted silence didn't last long due to the comical fog horn sound of the Cyclops blowing his nose on a bright orange camp T-shirt. The laughter was explosive and loud and for one brief moment it was a normal day, and then someone remembered what had just happened and whispered questions to their friend.

If Mr D cared or Chiron wasn't busy trying to save two people's lives then they would actually do something, play capture the flag, practise their sword-skills or archery-skills or even just laze about by the lake while enjoying the warm summer's day. But there wasn't a caring Mr D or Chiron's constant presence and therefore the campers milled about in curiosity and not doing a thing at all.

The buzz of whispers halted to a silence when someone from the Hermes' Cabin stood up and pointed to the lake. "Look!" he shouted. "Something is boiling the water!"

Everyone turned to look at the lake and loud gasps and yelps of surprise could be heard as a head appeared out of the water. He was a tall, powerful, strong looking man. He had dark hair, sea-coloured eyes, and a beard dark enough to match the hair. He wore silly clothes, that looked out of place on him solely because of the power he was releasing with each breathe, a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and sandals. He seemed furious and calm at the same time, the greatest contradiction in the world but then Gods have to be known for their self-control or otherwise the world would be destroyed ten times a day.

"Daddy!" the Cyclops cried out.

The whole camp (Athena's Cabin rather grudgingly) bowed down to Poseidon the God of the Sea and the Earth shaker.

While the Cyclops just hugged him of all things.

They all held their breath wondering if the God of the Sea would turn the Cyclops into a sea slug or something but to their mutual surprise the God merely hugged the Cyclops back and murmured something to him.

They watched in awe as the Sea God strode confidently through the crowd and to the Infirmary where the unknown Demi-God and Mortal were resting.

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Poseidon was furious.

He barely escaped Olympia (and boy was he going to pay for that considering he insulted not only Zeus but Hera, Athena, and Artemis) when Triton sent him the news about Sally and Percy. Four years he had to stand there and watch Sally give herself to a man who didn't deserve to live and now he finds out that man had almost killed her and his son.

Needless to say that Gabe was now nothing more than a pile of dust in the deepest depths of the ocean.

Hera didn't approve but Poseidon really couldn't give a damn.

He was slightly surprised to find one of his youngest Cyclops sons at the Camp looking tearful but then again Tyson was the more sensitive of Poseidon's sons and needed a protector. Percy was likely to have been that protector until now.

He mumbled some comforting words to Tyson before striding into the pathetic excuse of a hospital where Percy laid covered in bandages and Sally was barely breathing.

"Her windpipe is crushed," Chiron barely had time to say before Poseidon dismissed him.

Poseidon took Sally's hand into his and pressed his lips against her knuckles. "My love," he murmured, "I am so sorry. I should have done this sooner; I could have protected you far better than I have done lately. Our son would have been happier and you would have never had to worry like you have been doing for the last few years." He kissed her hand again and held it against his cheek. "I love you," he whispered, "with all my being."

He then placed her hand down softly on the bed and pulled out the beautiful pearl he had treasured all these years out from his pocket. The pearl was glowing a beautiful pale green light beneath its milky white skin, the scent and power of the ocean was coming out of it in waves. He carefully and slowly placed it upon Sally's breast just where her heart was slowly, dangerously slowly, beating.

He watched in awe as the pearl sunk through her clothes and into her skin. The pale green glow seeped into her skin and she took a sharp deep breath before the glow warmed into a peachy human colour and her eyes fluttered open.

There was a storm of power behind those eyes that he had never seen in Sally Jackson's eyes but he had definitely seen them in his wife's.

"Poseidon," she whispered.

Everything has been amplified. Her eyes were greener, her skin seemed softer, her voice was ten times stronger, louder, sweeter, and powerful, her hair looked more wild and silky, and her whole persona seemed just...more.

"Amphitrite," he replied.

His wife, other half, soul mate, lover, mother of his children, best friend, and most importantly simply Amphitrite was back.

She was back.


	20. Chapter 20

Annabeth was irritated.

She had been pulled away from her duties by Chiron to help take care of a new Demi-God. One, judging by the way Chiron was acting, that was special or very powerful or maybe very skilled in something. Perhaps he was The One that she was supposed to do her quest with and finally leave this Camp for once in her life. Her hopes were quickly dashed when she saw the Cyclops and soon found out the Cyclops had saved this Demi-God from a Mortal of all things. The Cyclops didn't help and she had to grit her teeth and not scream her head off when she saw him. She didn't know how Grover did it but by Zeus she respected him for it. Her nerves were further agitated by the sudden appearance of her mother's arch rival the Sea God.

Surely this was against Olympian law? Gods and Goddesses so rarely make contact with their children and apart from Mr D not a single one has made an appearance in Camp Half Blood.

She watched in horror and morbid fascination as Poseidon lovingly held the Mortal's hand. This meant that the boy lying before her was a child of one of The Big Three. A forbidden child. A child with great enemies ready to kill him any second. Just like Thalia. Her horror ebbed away slightly when she watched from the corner of her eye Poseidon turn the Mortal into a Goddess...into his wife.

What on earth could it mean?

She had thought Amphitrite had disappeared completely, can Gods be reincarnated?

Did that mean this boy who was so easily beaten by a Mortal was in fact more powerful than Thalia who had a Mortal mother?

She turned away when she realised the Sea God and Goddess were having a romantic private moment and waited in silent fear for them to leave or something. Instead Amphitrite shouted a boy's name and leaped out of bed, Annabeth felt herself suddenly pushed out of the way as the beautiful dark haired woman took hold of her son's hand.

"Oh my baby," she heard the Goddess murmur, "my poor little baby, why didn't I come home sooner?"

"Annabeth," Chiron murmured suddenly appearing beside her. She jumped when she felt his hand touch her shoulder. "I think it's best if we went outside."

She nodded and allowed her mentor guide her out of the room but she couldn't help but glance back and sneak one more look at the beautiful unearthly couple worrying over their very plain and ordinary son.

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Percy was confused.

Like really, really confused.

His last memory was of Smelly Gabe screaming and spitting at him before shoving him hard to the ground. There was a sharp pain and soon everything went to black. Now he was in a light airy room with his mother, who wasn't quite his mother he couldn't explain it, and an odd man. His mother was embracing him tightly and he buried his head into her shoulder but he couldn't help but notice she smelt different.

Not bad different, in fact it was a very good different, she smelt of the salty sea air and that had always felt like home to him for reasons unknown.

He glanced up at the strange man who was just as dark and green-eyed as Percy and his mother were. "Who are you?" he asked.

The strange man shares a glance with his mother and Percy felt his mother heave a sigh before holding onto him a little tighter. "This, Percy," she said gently, "is your father."

"Hello," Percy said suddenly feeling like a shy little boy. "Erm...I thought you were lost at sea?"

His father laughed, it was a warm, full-hearted laugh that instantly lifted Percy's spirit up. "I suppose you can say you found me then," he offered his hand to Percy, "Poseidon," he introduced himself.

"Like the Sea God," Percy asked shaking his father's hand.

"No as in I am the God of the Sea," Poseidon grinned.

Percy looked at his mother to see if she laughing. This had to be a joke or something that his father liked to pull on a regular basis. But she wasn't laughing she was looking back down at him in concern as if she was worried he was going to get angry or do something that might hurt him.

"I don't understand," Percy mumbled.

"Percy..." his mother sighed again, she hadn't sighed this often since he got expelled for the fifth time, "the Greek Mythology actually exists. All those Gods, Goddesses, and monsters, they're real."

Percy couldn't help but laugh. "Isn't it a little too late for April's Fools?" he asked.

His parents exchanged another look and then gave Percy a very solemn and grave one. Percy knew right then and there that they were not joking. He sat there silently as they told a great love story of how the Mortals no longer believed that Poseidon had a wife and how she faded away but not without leaving her powers in a pearl. How she was reincarnated into his mother and how Poseidon had fallen madly, deeply, in love once again. How there was a terrible prophecy of how a child of The Big Three (Zeus, Hades, and his father Poseidon) could be the end of Olympia and how his father broke his pact to not sire a child by doing what all men do when they are in love.

They then moved on to tell him about the Camp and how it works. The laws of the Gods, the different creatures such as Satyrs, Cyclops, Nymphs, and Dryads, and how monsters reform and come back though it could be for centuries. They told him about his brother Triton who he already knew and they told him about Tyson which he found it hard to believe.

The worst bit though was finding out how he couldn't live with his parents.

At least right now.

"Zeus' Master Lightening Bolt has been stolen and he's accusing me," his father explained, "I suspect the real culprit could be my other brother Hades and three heroes are needed to go on a quest to find it soon, preferably before the summer solstice or otherwise there will be a war." His father shuddered and Percy knew without a doubt war would be a terrible thing. "Once I return to Olympia I doubt I will be allowed back for a long time. Until then you need to stay at the Camp, train hard, and make me proud."

"What about Mum?" Percy asked.

He turned to look at the one person who had been his entire world until recently and was taken aback by the sudden tears in her eyes. "As a Goddess it is my duty to report to Olympia, as a wife, it is not only my duty but my need to be beside my husband and stand by his side against the opposition. Hera's law won't let me stay at the Camp with you my darling; this is something you'll have to do alone."

"Not completely alone," his father corrected her, "Chiron is a good teacher and won't let anything happen to you. Grover is a friend, is he not? He will stand by your side, and I have asked for Tyson to be trained here too so you will have a constant companion within him. Eventually I am certain you will make some good friends here. Many always do."

Percy nodded and tried not to get too upset over this. He reminded himself that it was just for the summer and soon enough his parents will come back to him and set up home somewhere. He wondered if they would live in Montauk or get a villa somewhere on a beach far away from New York. He curled up close to his Mum and was pleased to feel her hugging him just as tightly back. He was a little uneasy when his father joined the group hug but it was a pleasant change from Smelly Gabe sneering down at them and ruining whatever content mood his mother had just created. Eventually he had to get up and go to a dining hall for dinner while his father and mother had to leave for Olympia, going by the sudden raging storm outside.

"All right, all right, I'll be back soon," his father muttered.

Percy tried not to grimace as everyone looked at him and then quickly turned to their friend to whisper about him. He never liked this sort of attention it usually meant some bully will corner him in the bathroom later. His father ignored it all as he guided Percy towards a monster, Percy had to blink and readjust his vision.

The one-eyed tall monster wasn't a monster at all, it was his brother Tyson.

"Hey big guy," Percy said.

He was suddenly crushed by a big loving hug. "Big brother! Tyson was worried you were gone forever!" Tyson wept into his shoulder.

"Nah just having a kip," Percy said lightly trying to loosen the hug so he could actually breathe as well as return it. "Can't get rid of me just yet."

Tyson soon let go and hugged Percy's mother as well who fondly told him not to cry as everything was going to be all right. She then hugged Percy one last time before kissing him on the forehead (there was a strange tingle that her lips left and she whispered in his ear about her blessing him and protecting him from other Gods) and said one last goodbye before she and his father left for good.

Percy didn't know what was going to happen to him but something told him it had all the possibilities of a happy ending.

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Sally...erm Amphitrite, had been overwhelmed when she first returned to Olympia. She had long forgotten the splendour it had held within its walls and the many over-excitable characters that lived there. Apollo had greeted her with a terrible haiku (something he picked up over a century ago), Aphrodite showered her with kisses and hugs, Hera cried, Athena coolly welcomed her back before insulting her husband, Ares just muttered a greeting while Hermes welcomed her with full on hugs and compliments, Hephaestus and Artemis both sent her a cool nod, and Zeus was exploding in fury. Not at her but at her child and husband.

Within days she was part of a long drawn out argument defending herself and her child against the wild accusations of Zeus. There had been no way either of them had access to Olympia or his Master Bolt in the past six months but no matter how many times she repeated this no one was really listening apart from Aphrodite who seemed to know full well why Sally and Percy Jackson couldn't leave their apartment to go and steal a powerful object. The sad sympathetic look she kept sending Amphitrite was driving her mad.

Zeus wouldn't concede the argument and set up a deadline.

Percy will find the Master Bolt and bring it back before the summer solstice or there will be war.

She didn't get the chance to see her son in person to tell him this. He was to be told by Chiron who would put Percy in a group with a fellow camper and a Satyr, she could only hope its Grover who would be the best support Percy could have right now.

She stood there by a waterfall watching via an Iris Message her son prepare to leave the Camp and go solve a problem that should have nothing to do with him.

She felt Poseidon take her hand and squeeze it.

"He'll be fine," Poseidon said reassuringly, "he's strong like his mother; smart too, he'll solve everything without a scratch on him."

"I hope so," she said with a sad smile. "I want him to grow up and experience everything life has to offer."

"He will," Poseidon promised her. "And do more than that I expect. I can see great things for him, after all you raised him."

They watched their son set off with a determined look on his sweet little face and she knew everything will be all right.


	21. Epilogue

Amphitrite, still known as Sally by her own husband and occasionally her eldest son, was watching her youngest son in pride as she stood beside her husband in Olympia.

The past five years hadn't been the happiest.

Although they managed to keep Percy with them for most of the year they still had to relinquish him to the Camp every summer and worse of all a dangerous quest. If it wasn't Medusa, the Lotus hotel, Ares' bad temper, and escaping the Underworld it was the Golden Fleece, Circe, Ares' bad tempered daughter, and a boat filled with dangerous monsters. And if it wasn't that it was the argumentative nature of her own son and Zeus' recently rescued daughter Thalia putting the whole questing party in danger and don't get her started on the Labyrinth. She hates that pile of magical bricks with all her being.

In between these dangerous holidays of questing all over America, Percy would come back to the Sea Palace and learn his lessons from Triton with Tyson as a companion. It was very awkward at first, it seemed Triton and Percy was both competing for Poseidon's and her affections. A little talk with her thousands of years old son about how he should be the mature one and show Percy how to behave (and then reassurance that she doesn't love Percy more she loves them just the same) had ended that drama.

They had good days were they were very happy and then they have bad days when they all lose their tempers with one another. Overall they were a very normal family, well normal compared to the likes of Zeus' family.

Their happiness and peace couldn't last long. Already as Percy first entered the Olympian world there had been stirrings from her father in law Kronos and slowly throughout the years he was making a comeback.

She hated the fact that she had to stay underwater while her youngest son was out fighting the monsters, the Titians, and the Demi-God army with just a handful allies. She had barely helped her son persuade Poseidon to go join his brother while she held off the attacking force at their home.

Tyson and Triton fought bravely either side of her and she will always be proud of them both for their courage and battle skill but it was Percy, who sacrificed a lot and led the whole Camp into battle against the Titians, who deserved the reward.

Since the aftermath of his first quest Percy had sworn he would work hard with his every being to become a God and be with his parents forever and today was that day.

She glanced briefly over to the Campers who were staring at her son in awe. Thalia, now a huntress was grinning wildly, Nico, the son of Hades, was also grinning; she smiled down at them and gave them a wink that they both returned. Out of all of Percy's friends from camp she liked these two the best, maybe it was because they understood Percy better as they were also possible heroes for the prophecy or maybe it was because they were both lost little children who enjoyed being taken care of. The Stroll Twins had their mouths wide open looking comical, Clarisse just dropped her weapon while Annabeth looked a little heartbroken and so did Rachel Dare. She didn't know these two girls well but she knew from Aphrodite they both held romantic feelings for her son. They would never get a chance with her son now, or at least a chance of something permanent like marriage.

It was a shame but probably for the best really. She wasn't sure how long it would have been before Athena and Poseidon snap over the first relationship and ruin it for the two young people involved, and as for Rachel she could see the looks Apollo was shooting her. He would have fought Percy for her hand or he would have wanted to make her a Virginal Oracle, neither would be productive for a good relationship.

She turned back to her son just in time to see Zeus and the others grant him his godly powers.

It was a magical sight.

His warm tanned skin glow with power and his deep-sea green eyes that he had inherited from both parents raged like a sea storm. He seemed to be taller, stronger, and just more of everything. She knew exactly what he was feeling at this moment, the strange electrical current of power running through his veins, the sudden burst of life, the extra beat in his heart, and how everything around him seems more. Brighter, clearer, in great detail, just more.

"I give you Perseas, the God of Tidal Waves, and all things Blue," Zeus boomed and everyone cheered loudly for Percy.

Poseidon was only out-shouted by his son Tyson who was also shouting for peanut butter much to everyone's amusement. Especially Percy's whose booming laughter filled the room.

There was a new God in the old Greek Mythology and within his story was a tale about a mother who did more for her child than Demeter, who stood for being a family more than Hera, who loved and was loved more than Aphrodite, and had a clearer view on the world than Athena.

It would be millions of years before that legend dies and no one would forget that Poseidon the Great Sea God had a wife.

A wife called Amphitrite.

Or better yet a wife called Sally Jackson.

**Author's Note: I want to thank everyone who reviewed, favourite, and story-alerted this story. Thank you for the patience as I took forever to write this, and a special thank you to my brother who kept me working on this since Percy Jackson is a favourite of his. I ask of you to leave one more review XD and then I'll leave you alone. **


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